WATFORD RESERVES, with their extremely young line-up in itself a reflection of the club's injury problems, came close to becoming the first of the four Watford teams to record a victory in 2002.

Playing against top-of-the-table Derby County at Vicarage Road on Wednesday night, the tricky Anthony McNamee burst down the left to cross and Elliott Godfrey's well-met header at the near post just cleared the target.

Yet, in fairness, a draw was a fair result after the Watford youngsters had to roll up their sleeves and concentrate in the first half-hour as Derby put on the pressure.

Having passed the exam without allowing County a clear-cut chance, with Jerel Ifil and Nick Williams outstanding at the heart of the defence, Watford began to string some moves together of their own.

Godfrey had a free header but nodded wide from a McNamee centre on the half-hour, before Lee Morris fired adrift for the visitors after a good passing movement.

Marvin Robinson, who had turned a half-chance wide, saw a shot pushed away by the agile keeper Richard Lee.

Then McNamee, played more centrally in midfield than in his usual wide position, slipped the ball through to Nick Wright, who opted for a near post shot and the keeper turned it for a corner.

Having missed a chance of grabbing a late winner with the header, Watford survived a scramble in which a shot by Adam Murray was blocked, and then Lee turned away an Steve Elliott chance for a corner.

Said coach Ray Lewington: "Derby have won the league twice and are top by a few points. I think after the 6-0 drubbing we got at Southampton when, for the first time, a few heads dropped, it was time we needed to get a little pride.

"It was probably the youngest side we fielded. Jerel Ifil did particulary did well."