The FA Cup's reputation for footballing alchemy can rarely have been more tested than it was by these two leaden sides yesterday. The game took almost an hour to spring into any semblance of life, but somehow Watford ended it with two golden moments.
Shortly after Tommy Smith had scored the twice-taken penalty that beat Sunderland in the fifth round, a car, skidding on ice, crashed into his Audi TT. He was taken to hospital with a suspected fractured sternum; in the end it was no more than whiplash and light concussion. Yesterday he made his first appearance since the accident and crowned it with the vital first goal.
At the start of last week it was announced that Stephen Glass would not be offered a new contract once his current two-year deal expires at the end of the season, part of the club's attempts to recover from Gianluca Vialli's disastrous reign. At the end of it the Scottish winger scored a marvellous free-kick to secure for his club the £1 million their first semi-final since 1987 will earn.
Of the 19 Watford players whose contracts were to end in May, nine have been told they can leave, one has signed an extension and nine - including Smith - are still unsure of their futures.
Certainly they are now a little more secure, although the winnings would have been greater but for an unprecedented agreement forged by the two clubs' chairmen last week to share the prize money. The FA's approval having been secured, half of the £400,000 Watford receive as victors will go to their beaten opponents.
Though the home side gradually settled, the first half was so riddled with digression and repetition that it resembled a deliberately dire game of Just a Minute.
Then in the 57th minute everything changed. Marcus Gayle found some space on the left flank and crossed for Heidar Helguson to miss absurdly from five yards. Despite the disappointment, the moment invigorated the match.
In the 74th minute, Marlon Beresford tipped Helguson's fine shot over, Neil Ardley's corner was poked to Smith by Mahon and, with a slip and a scuff, the game was effectively won. Glass's strike six minutes later just made sure.
Whereas Burnley can console themselves with the possibility of a late run to the play-offs, Watford, had things not gone their way yesterday, would have been left with little to play for. Instead the two clubs can still dream of Cardiff, albeit in both cases more in hope than expectation. There may yet be some golden moments to come.
WATFORD: Chamberlain, Ardley, Cox, Gayle, Robinson, Mahon, Vernazza (Hand 65), Hyde, Glass, Helguson, Tommy Smith (Noel-Williams 77). Subs Not Used: Dyche, McNamee, Lee. Booked: Hyde. Goals: Tommy Smith 74, Glass 80.
BURNLEY: Beresford, West, Diallo, Cox, Branch, Ian Moore, Grant (Blake 76), Cook (Stephen Davis 67), Briscoe, Alan Moore (Little 57), Taylor. Subs Not Used: Michopoulos, Weller. Booked: Taylor, Cox.
Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire)
