The snow & ice has gone, the grass is green and, at last, we can get back to the football, with Watford being the first visitors of this new year. The Rovers welcomed back captain Brian Stock but were otherwise unchanged. The Rovers kicked off attacking the South Stand end and were soon into their stride. In the third minute, good play down their right gave Coppinger a crack at goal from just inside the penalty area that was palmed away by the diving Loach on to the body of Sharp and bounced out for a goal kick. the next minute a quick break out of the Rovers defence by sharp, who fed Shiels on the left but his shot from the edge of the area was well wide of the far post. The Rovers were on top of their game and playing good flowing football and in the 11th minutea good build-up on their left gave Shiels chance to cross to the middle where Loach tipped it away for a corner to the Rovers. Minutes later the Rovers came again, the ball reaching Sharp on the left touchline 35yards out. Seeing the keeper out of his goal he fired a low shot for goal but saw it go the wrong side of the far post. Another corner to the Rovers came out of defence to Wilson 25 yards out but his left foot effort was wide. This was followed by Stock firing wide from 20yards after a left wing cross was headed out of the Watford defence. The visitors had made isolated incursions into the Rovers half and had had a corner after 23minutesbut their first effort at goal came in the 29th minute when Cowie received on the right and fired in for the sprawling Sullivan to gather. The Rovers then went on the attack down the left finishing with Coppinger putting in a right footed effort from an angle that was curling into the far top corner before Loach ntipped it away for a corner. Sharp then fired wide after breaking through the Watford backline. Continuing to have the better of the gameas time ran down to the break, Loach was in action again in the 38th minute when Coppinger put in a fine cross from the right for Sharp to get in a great header that the keeper palmed away for a defender to clear.

Half-time- ROVERS 0 Watford 0

Watford set the second half in motion but the Rovers won a corner in the second minute, although nothing came of it. Then, in the 50th minute, came the breakthrough. A good build-up down the Rovers left reached Coppinger in the Watford penalty area. A back-heel for SHIELS to collect and work his way past a defender before firing low past the keeper from inside the six-yard box to give the Rovers the lead. Five minutes later Coppinger from the Rovers left fired wide of the far post followed by Sharp, from a similar position, having a low drive saved by Loach. But the goal had stirred the visitors and they began to get more into the game. Past the hour and the visitors won a corner, with Stock blocking a header before clearing to set up a quick break by the Rovers throughg O'connor, who gave to Shiels on the left. He swung it over to mOster on the right, with his shot saved by Loach at the foot of the near post. On 65 min utes, Lansbury hit a terrific drive from 30 yards that Sullivan tipped over for a corner, from which Helguson had his header saved. Watford were having the better of the possession at this stage, with a corner to show for it followed by Hoskins getting in a snapshot from 15 yards that Sullivan saved. At this point, the Rovers had to substitute Shackell, a giant in defence, because of injury, Hird replacing him. On 75 minutes, Shiels hit a fierce drive from 15 yards that a diving Loach could only parry away. Having survived the period of Watford pressure, Sharp had a 20yarder saved but the Rovers had immediately to defend a corner which Mariappa eventually fired over from the left. In the 82nd minute, the rovers won a corner on their left, it came out of the visiting defence to ROBERTS, 25yards out, who hit a terrifc shot past a static keeper for a second goal to the Rovers. As the game ran down to it's close Watson tried hard to gain something from it. A corner in the 89th minute, after a general melee, resulted in a shot hitting the bar and bouncing away. Five minutes added time said the referee and in the second of them Hird was adjudged to have fouled Helguson in the penalty area. HELGUSON took the kick, placing it to Sullivan's right well out of reach. Time was blown by the referee on a good, well merited win for the Rovers.

Teams - ROVERS - Neil Sullivan; James Chambers, James O'Connor, Jason Shackell, Gareth Roberts; John Oster, Brian Stock, Mark Wilson, Dean Shiels; James Coppinger, Billy Sharp.

Subs used - Sam Hird for Shackell 74mins; John Spicer for Stock 78mins; Byron Webster for Coppinger 86mins;

Subs not used - Lewis Guy, James Hayter, Paul Heffernan, Ben Smith gk

Caution - Wilson,

Watford - Scott Loach; Adrian Mariappa,Henri Lansbury, Jay DeMerit, Don Cowie, Danny Graham, Heidur Helguson, Lloyd Doyley,Tom Cleverley, John Eustace, Lee Hodson.

Subs used - Will Hoskins for Graham 60mins; Michael Bryan for Cowie 78mins; Liam Henderson for Hodson

Subs not used - Ross Jenkins, John Harley, Richard Lee, Dale Bennett, , ,

Caution - Cleverley, Lansbury,