Little striker the key to Watford’s cup hopes?

Press, 18 May 1984, Page 26

Little striker the key to Watford’s cup hopes?

KEVIN HART

By

NZPA London

A pint-sized striker, who has proved a sensation since being brought out of the relative obscurity of Scottish soccer by Watford is shaping as the key man in the F.A. Cup final against Everton at Wembley on Sunday morning (N.Z. time).

Maurice Johnston has proved his worth to Watford supporters by scoring 24 goals in just 34 matches since coming south from Partick Thistle. But he believes he still has plenty to prove to Everton, the big-name club which rejected him before his transfer to homely Watford. “Howard Kendall (the

Everton manager) did a runner after taking a brief look at me last season. It was a case of thumbs down and the fast train back,” Johnston said. Kendall’s misjudgment has been Watford’s gain as the nippy, 21-year-old Johnston has found a scoring touch almost as lethal as that of Liverpool’s lan Rush. "Mostly I poke them in by turning up in the right place — none of your goal-of-the-month stuff,” said Johnston whose instinct is mixed by a natural confidence. The Watford manager, Graham Taylor, believes the Scot has the potential to become one of the truly

great goal-scorers. Just how he performs at Wembley could well prove the decisive factor in a contest between two apparently evenly matched sides. The final has so far failed to capture the imagination of the British public to the extent of the recent underdog v. giant clashes such as that last year between Brighton and Manchester United. It is also a contest between two sides of predominantly young players few of whom are household names.

Both Everton and Watford ended this season’s first division championship comfortably but uninspir-

ingly placed in mid-table after shaky starts to the season. Probably it will be Watford, a club floundering in the fourth division just six years ago, which will take the hearts of the uncommitted. Their rags-to-riches rise under the chairmanship of the flamboyant rock star, Elton John, and the hardworking and smart Taylor — a Vera Lynn fan — reaches a new peak with the final. The John-Taylor dream had threatened to turn sour earlier this season when Watford, after finishing second in the first division

on its debut last year, languished near the relegation zone. The sale of the England striker, Luther Blissett, to A. C. Milan for £one million (about 5NZ2.140.000) may have been a shrewd financial deal, but it bad begun to look unwise as Watford struggled to score goals. The answer to the problem was found in Johnston. He quickly struck up an understanding with George Reilly, an ungainly but highly effective target man whose career had languished with Northampton and Cambridge United. The effectiveness of the pair has owed much to the

skill of wingers John Barnes, already an England international, and Nigel Callaghan, who has just been drafted into the England squad preparing for a tour of South America. Their combined talents have seen Watford score an imposing 68 goals in the first division this season with an increasingly subtle style. Watford’s training ground is within sight of the twin towers of Wembley. But its youngsters will be playing in the stadium’s charged atmosphere for the first time — an experience that has often caused plavers to “freeze."

Everton, in contrast, has already sampled Wembley this year when losing the Milk Cup final to Liverpool. The club, for so long the poor relation of neighbouring Liverpool on Merseyside, has recently strung together impressive performances which have owed much to the example of Andy Gray, the former Scottish international striker, purchased this year from Wolves. Equally influential has been Adrian Heath. He has returned to the sort of form which previously made him a frequent match-winner for Stoke City. But, although the goals have started to go in re-

cently, Everton still thirst for an effective service from the flanks for their target man Graeme Sharp. In total, it managed just 44 goals in the first division. Only Sunderland and two of the relegated clubs. Birmingham City and Wolves, scored less. Everton's major strength lies in a hard-working midfield marshalled by Peter Reid and a solid defence where the Welsh goalkeeper, Neville Southall, has been outstanding. That, combined with its Wembley experience, has made Everton the slight favourites with the British bookmakers.