End of term feel as Watford and Charlton play out a draw at the Vic

Nearly on the beach : Picture by William Powell

Championship

Watford (0) 1 Irankunda 74

Charlton Athletic (0) 1 Godden 62

Watford and Charlton Athletic had to settle for point apiece in the local derby at Vicarage Road as fans basked in the April Bank Holiday Monday sunshine.

Charlton Athletic opened the scoring when Matty Godden scored with his first touch of the game having just come on in the 61st as a substitute thanks to a right footed shot from the centre of the penalty area into the bottom left of the Hornets net in the 62nd minute.

Watford equalised after a lovely assist by captain impressive Imran Louza, who put Australian international Nestory Irankunda through on goal and the Watford speed merchant hit his right-footed shot beat Will Mannion to make it 1-1 in the 74th minute.

Prior to the decisive goal, it was a real end of season affair with both sides having little to play for other than pride as neither were pushing for promotion or looking over their shoulder at relegation. They will both be in the SKYBET Championship in 2026-27.

The match marked the 500th career club match for Conor Coady but it ended badly for the Watford midfielder, who was stretchered off at the end after being hit in the face by a shot.

Having been unbeaten in seven league games against Charlton between 2006 and 2012 (won three, drawn four), Watford had now lost four of their last seven against the Addicks (won one, drawn two after this match).

Following their 1-0 win back in August, the Addicks were looking to complete the league double over Watford for the first time since 1995-96. Watford had alternated between not scoring (four) and scoring (three) in their last seven home league games but drew 0-0 with Leicester City last time out.

Coming into the game, Charlton were unbeaten in their last five away league games Charlton are unbeaten in their last 14 league games played on Easter Monday since a 2-1 loss at Liverpool in April 2003.

Watford came into the match off the back of a slightly better run with two wins against Wrexham (home) 3-1 and Bristol City (away) 2-1, two draws against Leicester City (home) 0-0 and Sheffield Wednesday (away) 1-1 and two defeats to Stoke City (away) 1-3 and Queens Park Rangers (away) 1-2 last time out on Good Friday.

Watford started the match in 10th position on 56 points as Norwich City had moved up a place having beaten Millwall earlier in the day to go above them with Charlton Athletic 18th spot on 48 points.

Charlton started well and with the first attack Tyreece Campbell crossed to the back post, but Lloyd Jones headed high over the cross bar in the second minute. Watford came back strongly with Will Mannion tipping a Nestory Irankunda left foot shot from outside the penalty area, away for a corner in the third minute.

Louza saw a left-footed volley from inside the penalty area blocked by Lloyd Jones in the 12th minute. In the 15th minute Tyreece Campbell crossed into the penalty area but Sonny Carey’s left-footed effort went wide of the target. Campbell was causing all sorts of problems for Jeremy Petris as the visitors looked particularly good when attacking down the left flank.

Irankunda on a fast counterattack saw a right footed shot from just inside the penalty area tipped away by Will Mannion at full stretch for another corner in the 22nd minute. Watford continued to press for the opening goal, and Mattie Pollock saw a close-range header blocked by Lloyd Jones in the 23rd minute.

Charlton were awarded a free kick in a dangerous position in the 32nd minute after Campbell was fouled but it came to nothing. Greg Docherty the Charlton captain was yellow carded in the 33rd minute for a heavy challenge.

Charlton Athletic had another free kick in a dangerous position in the 34th minute after Nampalys Mendy had fouled. Charlton Athletic went close from the free kick as Docherty headed against the post in the 35th minute.

Harry Clarke was yellow carded for a bad foul in the 38th minute and from the free kick taken by Imran Louza Watford scored but the goal was adjudged to be offside due to Saba Goglichidze straying out beyond the visitors back line.

Watford started the second half with Giorgi Chakvetadze shooting left footed on target after cutting in from the left flank, but his effort was saved comfortably by Will Mannion in the 47th minute.

Nathan Jones made a double substitution with Luke Chambers and Sonny Carey replaced by Joe Rankin-Costello and Godden in the 60th minute.

There was an immediate response for the visitors as Godden opened the scoring with his first touch of the game with a right footed shot from the centre of the penalty area into the bottom left of the Hornets net in the 62nd minute as Charlton

Athletic went 1-0 up in front of the Charlton Athletic fans in the Vicarage Road Stand. Watford manager Ed Still replaced Luca Kjerrumgaard with Amin Nabizaba in the 61st minute.

Watford brought on Kwadwo Baah for Jeremy Petris in the 72nd and a couple of minutes later Watford were level after a lovely assist by captain Imran Louza put Nestory Irankunda the Australian international in on goal and his right-footed shot beat Will Mannion to make it 1-1 in the 74th minute.

Charlton replaced Lyndon Dykes with Jayden Fevrier in the 81st minute as the Scottish international had a fruitless afternoon. Watford brought on Tom Ince and Vivaldo Semedo for Nestory Irankunda and Mamadou Doumbia in the 81st minute.

Hornets: (4-4-2) Selvik - Petris (Baah 72_, Pollock, Goglichidze, Keben - Irankunda (Ince 81), Mendy, Louza, Chakvetadze - Kjerrumgaard (Nabizada 63), Doumbia (Semedo 81)

Addicks: (3-4-2-1) Mannion - Ramsay, Jones, Bell - Clarke, Coady (Gillesphey 99), Docherty, Chambers (Rankin-Costello 61) - Carey (Godden 61), Campbell - Dykes (Fevrier 80)

Attendance: 19,961

Red (0)

Goals (1) 0-1 (62, Godden)

Attendance 19,961

Referee Andrew Kitchen 4th Official Andrew Humphries

Half Time Watford 0 Charlton Athletic 0 (1 minute added time)

Fu