JUST before the Middlesbrough and Watford players emerged from the tunnel on Saturday afternoon Hornets' interim chairman Graham Taylor stood in the penalty area to deliver a rousing speech over the tannoy.
It was by far and away the most entertaining action of the afternoon.
This was a very poor game played on a dreadful surface and the bad news for Boro supporters is that they will be able to look forward to making a return trip to Vicarage Road next season if Watford can steer clear of relegation.
Gordon Strachan spent some of Saturday's half-time break singling out the members of his squad who'd lacked courage.
There was no absence of physical courage. The likes of Stephen McManus, Gary O'Neil and Barry Robson all showed plenty of that during a turgid team display that showcased the reasons why Boro are likely to be gracing the Football League Show rather than Match of the Day next season.
But the manager felt too many of his players lacked the bravery to take the game to Watford. Until Leroy Lita replaced the wholly ineffective Lee Miller shortly after the restart, Strachan's players hadn't forced keeper Scott Loach to make a save.
Watford are battling for survival on and off the pitch they share with Saracens rugby club, but the home side played with a verve that belied their pre-match billing as easy prey for promotion-chasing Boro.
It would be considered a significant achievement if Watford avoid the drop this season.
Strachan's team hold loftier ambitions.
On the evidence of Saturday's game, however, they look every inch a Championship side and a major overhaul of the squad can be expected this summer if they are to prevent the Football League becoming their natural habitat.
An improved second half display inspired by the energetic Lita failed to offer a convincing argument that Strachan's outfit deserve to be named among the division's six best sides.
Strachan and skipper O'Neil both spoke without conviction about winning all their remaining games but the consensus was that another season in the Football League beckons.
We don't deserve to be in the play-offs just now, that's for sure, because you have to win games and we are drawing far too many, admitted the manager.
We might do enough in the last six games to say we should be in there, but at the moment we've not doing enough.
Boro have won only three of their last ten matches and it would be remarkable if they were able to put together the winning run required for a late tilt at the play-off positions.
Strachan added: It sums this league up, a lot of draws.
To get that win you've got to be brave at times and I've got no problem with our workrate but we've got to be brave enough to take the ball down under pressure and play. In the second half the lads did that far better.
You've got to have individuals who win you games. Individuals have to come to the fore and we didn't have enough people early in the first half saying I want to win the game, I want to be the best player on the pitch.' There seemed to me a malaise of ordinary football out there in the first half. Second half it got a bit better, he claimed.
Lita's introduction brought some purpose to Boro, who had given the Watford back four a very easy ride.
One of the priorities over the summer will be to recruit players who can inject pace into the attack.
Lita is far from being the complete striker, but his willingness to run at defenders paid dividends whereas Miller and his strike partner Chris Killen are not a combination equipped to unlock a solid defensive unit.
Within minutes of Lita's introduction he fired into the side netting before starting the move that led to him nodding home a close-range equaliser.
Watford took a deserved lead after former Boro loanee John Eustace hit a sweet volley past Brad Jones. Heidar Helguson spurned a late chance to embarrass the visitors, for whom O'Neil was one of the few to emerge with credit.
I thought Gary in particular was brave on the ball and wanted to be one of the best players on the pitch and there's nothing wrong with that, said Strachan.
O'Neil revealed how the manager's stern teamtalk had inspired their revival.
He said a few harsh words to a few people at half-time.
There were a few individuals he wasn't too pleased with. I thought the people he'd spoken to got a lot better.
We needed to win here, even if Cardiff had lost. It's still not dead.
We have had too many days like today where we've fought hard and only got a point. It's not really good enough.
Match facts Goals:
1-0 Eustace (21, fired a well controlled drive from the edge of the penalty area)
1-1 Lita (55, Started the move that ended with him nodding home Arca's cross)
Bookings: McManus (17, foul), Lansbury (38,foul), Killen (43,foul), Wheater (54,foul), Cowie (71, dissent), O'Neil (74, foul)
Referee: Roger East (Aylesbury) Never let the game flow 4
Attendance: 14,038
Entertainment:
WATFORD (4-4-2):
Loach 5, Mariappa 6, DeMerit 6, Doyley 6, TAYLOR 7, Lansbury 7, Cowie 6, Cleverley 7, Buckley 5 (Graham 81), Eustace 6, Helguson 5. Subs (not used): Lee (gk), Harley, Hodson, McGinn, Hoskins, Noble
MIDDLESBROUGH (4-4-2):
5 Jones: Made a couple of decent stops but flapped at crosses;
5 Hoyte: Tidy at the back but rarely used his pace to support the attack
7 McManus: Barked out the orders, led the defence with authority
5 Wheater: Kept busy by the Hornets' attack but solid enough
5 Taylor: Did well to recover from a leg injury in the first half;
6 Robson: Grafted away but rarely able to add much quality
5 Williams: Comfortable with the ball but didn't work enough to win it back
6 O'Neil: Was at the heart of his side's second half revival
5 Arca: Not a performance that will silence the Boro boo boys;
5 Killen: Benfited from having the lively Lita alongside him
4 Miller: Is yet to make much impression since his arrival.
Subs
Lita (for Miller 50) added a spark to the attack 6
Franks (for Arca 84)
(not used): Coyne (gk), Riggott, Grounds, Naughton, O'Shea
MAN OF THE MATCH
STEPHEN McManus - The only Boro player who impressed for the full 90 minutes.
Source: Northern Echo
Source: Northern Echo