Danny Webber scored against his former club with three minutes remaining and Sheffield United won 1-0 at Watford on Tuesday in a match between teams near the bottom of the English Premier League.

The only goal of the game at Vicarage Road came when Watford goalkeeper Richard Lee pushed a header from Chris Morgan onto the crossbar and substitute Webber pounced at the far post to push the ball home.

The victory for Neil Warnock's team wasn't enough to lift the Blades out of the relegation zone, but pulled them event with Blackburn and Newcastle with 13 points, four ahead of next-to-last Watford and last-place Charlton.

The Blades unsuccessfully appealed for a penalty in the 36th minute when Christian Nade appeared to be knocked down by Hornets goalkeeper Richard Lee after he shot wide of the post.

After Nade struck the post, the visitors missed another chance when striker Rob Hulse also nicked the outside of the upright with 15 minutes remaining.

After Webber's goal, Watford's Chris Powell was sent off in injury time with his second yellow card.

Preston, which last played in the top division in 1961, climbed to the top of the League Championship after a 1-1 draw against Coventry. David Nugent gave the Lilywhites the lead after 35 minutes but Dele Adebola equalized for the Sky Blues. Cardiff, which had led the second division league since mid September, tumbled 3-0 at Stoke and dropped a point behind.

© The Canadian Press, 2007