Thank God The Season Has Finished!

WATFORD: Foster (Chamberlain 90), Mariappa, Doyley, Shittu, Stewart, Rinaldi, Bangura, Williamson, Smith (Robinson 87), King, Hoskins (Henderson 56).
Subs Not Used: Chambers, Carlisle.

NEWCASTLE UTD: Given, Solano (Onyewu 59), Ramage, Taylor, Carr,Milner, Butt, Dyer, Pattison, Owen (O'Brien 67), Ameobi (Carroll 62).
Subs Not Used: Harper, Huntington.

Att: 19,830

Last game of a troubled season and I'm sure the Toon Army are pleased to see the back of it. The European trips will long live in the memory, but the Premiership and of course that humiliation from Birmingham City in our own backyard in the FA Cup are so forgetable.

We should be happy we weren't involved in the last day relegation drama that saw Sheffield United take the plunge, but those who went out shopping with the wife rather than travel to Watford for this game of nothingness were the luck ones.

Oba Martins didn't bother showing up, despite being instructed to travel, and Charlie N'Zogbia was obviously too busy using his mobile phone. Not for the first time, may I add.

On the field Michael Owen suffered a new injury scare when he was carried off during the second half with mild concussion after colliding with team-mate Matthew Pattison. And probably the man showing the most concern was the watching England boss Steve McClaren. After all, he is needed for the England B game soon.

Making only his third appearance of the season after returning from the knee ligament injury he sustained at last summer's World Cup, Owen suffered a head injury after running into Pattison's shoulder, but there is no lasting problem.

Relegated Watford earned a point due to Marlon King's 52nd-minute penalty after Kieron Dyer had given Newcastle a first-half lead, but it was Martin and N'Zogbia who will hog the headlines this morning.

Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster, in the final game of his two-year loan spell before his return to Manchester United, was replaced by Alec Chamberlain in stoppage time to grant the England international a standing ovation which left him in tears.

It took Newcastle almost 29 minutes to manage a shot on target - but, crucially, they took the lead with their first effort.

A fine reverse pass from Nobby Solano was not cut out by the sliding Al Bangura, allowing Dyer to burst into the penalty area and slot the ball home off the body of Foster from 10 yards for his seventh goal of the season.

In first-half stoppage time, Steven Taylor showed excellent bravery to deny the recalled Will Hoskins after Rinaldi had crossed from the right.

Much to Newcastle's disgust, referee Rob Styles awarded Watford a penalty when Mariappa's right-wing cross struck Nicky Butt on the hand, and the former Manchester United midfielder was booked for protesting.

To add insult to injury, King confidently sent Given the wrong way from the spot for his fourth goal of an injury-hit season.

Both sides made changes in the early stages of the second period, Oguchi Onyewu and Andy Carroll replacing Solano and Shola Ameobi for Newcastle, while for Watford Darius Henderson came on for Hoskins.

There was little noteworthy action in the final 20 minutes of the match, and so ends a season that promised so much but delivered LOADS off the field ... but so little to cheer on it.