Keeper Lee keeps Man City at bay

Man City 0-0 Watford: Watford goalkeeper Richard Lee performed heroics to earn Watford a 0-0 draw at Manchester City.

Man City 0-0 Watford:Watford goalkeeper Richard Lee performed heroics to earn Watford a 0-0 draw at Manchester City.

The Hornets were equal to City and could have grabbed a goal themselves, but Lee, who has only found himself in the side because of Ben Foster's injury, pulled off a number of fine saves to save them from defeat.

Damien Francis came agonisingly close to giving Watford the lead after just seven minutes but Nicky Weaver pulled off a brilliant save, clawing away his looping header right on the line.

Lee then pulled off an equally impressive save to deny Richard Dunne's forceful header, and also managed to palm away the loose ball before Gavin Mahon completed the clearance.

READ MORE

Watford continued to boss the play and very nearly grabbed a lead in first-half stoppage time.

Danny Shittu rose highest to meet Ashley Young's corner, but could only hold his hands in despair as his thumping header beat Weaver only to crash back off the crossbar.

Lee was soon in action at the start of the second period, first punching away a Joey Barton inswinger and then keeping hold of Georgios Samaras' scuffed shot.

Then on 65 minutes, he produced his best save of the evening to turn away Barton's curling free-kick and push the ball around the post before Bernardo Corradi pounced.

By this stage, it was all City and Lee made another superb save to keep out Corradi's shot from inside the box with five minutes remaining.

Just a minute later the home side thought they had won a penalty when Jay Demerit appeared to drag down Corradi but ref Mark Clattenburg waved play on and the Hornets ran down the clock for a vital point which leaves them three points behind third-from-bottom Newcastle.

City climb into the top half of the table as a result of their point.