Watford FanCast presenter Matt Reveley blushes at the Hornets' penalty miss on Tuesday night and reflects why a seemingly simplistic conversion has caused so many problems for the Golden Boys down the years.

When Tommy Smith was pulled down in the Bristol City penalty box shortly before the 45 minute mark that us Hornets fans were craving for after an insipid first half from the Golden Boys, I (after revealing relatively premature excitement) turned my head to the match ball to see which yellow shirt was keen to take on the resulting responsibility - the answer, Darius Henderson.

Now I could've cast my mind back to the previous spot-kicks that Darius has successfully converted - the one at Upton Park that ended his Premier League drought, and of course the gloriously celebrated third goal at the Millennium Stadium in the play-off final victory. But I couldn't, this felt different, something wasn't right - namely, me.

I don't know about you, but I'm a perfectionist, and for that moment - along with a large percentage of penalty kicks that I have witnessed in my days as a Watford supporter - I felt I could affect the outcome of the kick.

No matter your location on Wednesday night, I'm sure that Tottenham and Everton fans felt that they boasted a similar audacity despite being in the knowledge that such powers are rarely seen in non-fictional stories.

As for me on Tuesday evening, well, for a start there was a barrier in the way. How was I supposed to concentrate on psychologically forcing that ball into the back of the net when my vision of its intended location was so rudely impaired? I didn't know where to stand, how to stand. My mate Dan was standing on his seat, what are you doing?!  This kick was big; I had no qualms with the way in which I had celebrated the awarding of the penalty, but this had to count.

I'll admit, I considered crouching down into my seat and staring at what was below me until a relevant roar was exclaimed (I have come to the conclusion that such an idea is only given moderate consideration thanks to the pictures that we view in the national media - why would I want to spend £25 on a match ticket and then intentionally prevent myself from missing a potential match-winning goal? It does not make human sense). Dan has now reached lunacy in that he is ready to video the ensuing action on his camera phone. Tempt fate, Daniel? 

The barrier is still obscuring my vision of what is by now my penalty kick, rather than that of Darius. I'm not in line, it doesn't feel right, I crouch down to attempt an improved view - Darius strikes; Basso, saves. An outstretched right-hand seems an impressive save from the Brazilian-born goalkeeper but one can tell that the penalty was directed at a height that would only please the man between the sticks.

As on every penalty-miss occasion, a refusal of failure ensues until the ball has been safely disposed of from the defending penalty box (you wait for the rebound to go in, it rarely occurs). As we were heading east out of the West Country, Aidy Boothroyd revealed post-match that Darius had made the mistake that often results in penalty failure, he changed his mind. My fury resulted in a plea to our designated driver to head back to Ashton Gate, one which was unfortunately closely outnumbered against my favour.

If you contemplate a re-decision when lining up a penalty, you are likely to fail. Cast your mind back to attempting the high-jump in your school days. If you approach the bar with only one intention in mind, you are likely to succeed; but if you run toward the ‘now-enhanced' height and change your mind on the likeliness of a successful jump, you are likely to leap straight in to the pole that is your measure, or better still, continue running into the bar as though the event that is the high-jump needn't include a jump.

The question that still burns my mind though is why was I so pessimistic and cautious over a seemingly straightforward conversion from 12 yards? As much as I concentrated positive efforts toward the kick on Tuesday night, I knew they were insignificant. What the travelling Hornets were aware of however, is the Golden Boys consistent inability to succeed from the white dot.

I don't have my season-by-season review in front of me, nor have I surfed the World Wide Web for statistical confirmation. But we are all aware of this nation's continuous failures from the penalty spot, and although many supporters of other English club teams may beg to differ - I am firmly under the impression that the Golden Boys boast one of the worst records when given the opportunity to succeed from the penalty spot.

I can see you Hornet fans nodding your head and I can see your mind clocking away as it registers all the players that have been embarrassed from 12 yards at Vicarage Road and on foreign turf in a Watford shirt. But let me help you out (in no particular order); Kevin Phillips, David Connolly, Tommy Mooney (even the best), Peter Kennedy, Richard Johnson, Craig Ramage, Marlon King, Darius Henderson, Jason Drysdale (less frequently), Tommy Smith, Gavin Mahon, Gary Porter (again less frequently), Heidar Helguson.

I'm sure there's more and please forgive me that my memories are limited to the past sixteen years of watching Watford. Fell free to add, but more importantly, I pose the question, why?

This is not here to accentuate Darius' miss, whom I hold in the utmost regard, but to solve the problem as to why every time the Golden Boys are awarded a penalty, I am greeted with the phrase "we haven't scored it yet".

Still, if we don't gain automatic promotion, you know we'll win the Play-Off Final on penalties.

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