Keeper Federico Ravaglia shuts out Middlesbrough to earn Watford point

A magnificent display by Watford goalkeeper Federico Ravaglia denied high-flying Middlesbrough victory in a 0-0 draw at Vicarage Road and cost them top spot in the Championship.

Despite a dominant performance, Boro drew a blank for the second time in four days and they will look upon this as two points dropped.

For under-pressure Watford head coach Alessio Dionisi, a third consecutive clean sheet at home was reassuring, but in truth he had Italian compatriot Ravaglia’s heroics to thank for the small mercy of a point.

Ravaglia’s catalogue of fine saves kept the Hornets afloat when, for long periods, Boro, who slipped below Birmingham on goal difference, looked like blowing them away.

Stung by the loss of their unbeaten league record at Wrexham in midweek and rocked by 15-goal top scorer Will Lankshear’s absence through injury, Boro were assertive from the start and Jeremy Sarmiento’s deflected effort sailed just wide in the opening 75 seconds.

The Ecuador international was soon denied from close range, and then from distance, by Ravaglia’s sprawling saves as the Teessiders dominated territory and possession.

Ravaglia’s reflexes came to Watford’s rescue again as he beat out Callum Brittain’s header from six yards, denying the Boro skipper his second goal of the season.

To head coach Kim Hellberg’s manifest frustration, Amario Cozier-Duberry wasted a three-on-two break as the home side scrapped and scrambled for every ball with little to suggest they had the firepower to hurt Middlesbrough in the final third.

First-half bookings for Brittain and Sam Byram were neither a fair reflection of Boro’s aggression nor Watford’s perpetual retreat.

Keen to turn their 81 per cent possession in the opening 45 minutes into tangible reward, Hellberg hooked Cozier-Duberry at the interval.

The one-way traffic towards Ravaglia’s goal soon resumed, Riley McGree heading Sarmiento’s cross narrowly wide before Byram’s snapshot rebounded to safety off a post.

In a rare outbreak of Watford threatening Boro’s goal, midway through the second period, Radek Vitek made a sharp save at his near post to deny Iker Bravo.

But the excellent Ravaglia was alert again to keep out Boro substitute Kyle Joseph. It was arguably the pick of his saves and the visitors, perhaps sensing it was not to be their day, never seriously threatened again.

Due to a rash of injuries and last-minute transfer business, Dionisi has been operating with thin resources all season and for the seventh time this term he named two goalkeepers on the bench.

As if to prove Dionisi’s luck was out, striker Myron Boadu failed a late fitness test before Senegal full-back Krepin Diatta limped off inside a quarter-of-an-hour.

But the depleted Hornets, with Mattie Pollock – son of Boro cult hero Jamie Pollock – also outstanding at the back, held firm.