The starting line-up was Bond, Young, Doherty, O’Nien, Johnson (c), Brown, Tapoko (trialist), Smith, Jakubiak, Rosenthal and Fabbrini.  Former Watford youngsters Jonathan North and Elliott Godfrey started for Wealdstone.  There was a nice gesture from the excellent tannoy announcer who welcomed Smith and O’Nien back, both having been there on loan in recent seasons.

Wealdstone website: A young Watford development side were held to a goalless draw by Wealdstone on a sultry summer’s evening at The Vale on Wednesday. Stones can be pleased with their energetic performance against a strong Hornets side sprinkled with professionals and some senior first team squad players.

This was the first game played at Wealdstone’s new home Grosvenor Vale.

Despite the programme implying this was a full strength Watford team, it was very much a second string as the first team had played the previous night at Boreham Wood.

Wealdstone FC website:  Those intrepid fans who had kept Wealdstone Football Club alive and kicking (if only just) for the last 17 nomadic years could not have wished for a better start to this latest chapter in the club’s history. The sun was shining, the newly levelled and re-seeded pitch looked like a bowling green, the areas surrounding the pitch looked new and gleaming courtesy of the hard work put in by many over the last 3 months, and near neighbours Watford had agreed to be the most attractive of opposition for this important occasion.

Hornblogger: The ‘Stones more than earned their win. Two cracking goals past Scott Loach early on were well deserved. We got one back before half time but then scored a bizarre own goal to ensure the home side got the new ground off and running in the right way.

Watford Observer match report