Watford Under-23s picked up their first point of the season at their new Wingate & Finchley home but really should have been celebrating an opening win of the campaign after being held to a 1-1 draw by Sheffield United.

Michael Folivi scored his second goal in as many games, but the Blades took a point back to Yorkshire yesterday thanks to Stephen Mallon’s second-half finish.

United keeper Marcus Dewhurst was to be a major thorn in the young Hornets’ side all afternoon, first denying Ryan Cassidy before thwarting Dion Pereira and Folivi with smart stops as the hosts increased their early pressure.

Dewhurst was at it again when Cassidy dispossessed an opposing defender and set Folivi away, only for the onrushing goalkeeper to again come out on top.

But Watford were to make their pressure count when some impressive link-up play between Pereira and Ashley Charles allowed the former to find Folivi, who calmly did the rest.

Having been beaten once though, Dewhurst produced an incredible save to deny Cassidy after being caught out of his goal, before a corner led to the Hornets seeing three efforts blocked in a goalmouth scramble, but the ball just wouldn’t go in for Hayden Mullins and Darren Sarll’s team.

As is so often the case when a team doesn’t put a game to bed, Watford were made to pay after the restart when half-time substitute Mallon was released one-on-one and he slipped the ball under Sam Howes to level.

However, the hosts should have been back in front when Harry Hudson met a Pereira free-kick, only to his header smack back off the bar and Harry Forster put the rebound wide with the goal at his mercy.

Cassidy was narrowly off target as Watford continued to have the upper hand, but the Blades went close to pinching the points in the closing stages when Howes had to take to the air to keep out Jordan Hallam’s long-range effort.

But there was still time for Watford to almost win it when Folivi raced through in injury time, but once again it was Dewhurst who came out on top to ensure his side held on for a point.

Watford Under-23s: Howes; Mullings, Mukena, Hudson, Suckling; McClean (Holsgrove 66), Charles, Pereira; Forster (Beckford 78), Folivi, Cassidy (Sesay 84). Not used: Hoskins.