Offside call leaves Burnley to settle for draw at Watford

Soccer Football - Premier League - Watford v Burnley - Vicarage Road, Watford, Britain - January 19, 2019 Burnley's Tom Heaton and Ben Mee watch as a shot from Watford's Gerard Deulofeu (not pictured) goes wide REUTERS/David Klein

(Reuters) - Lowly Burnley made it four games unbeaten in the Premier League with a 0-0 draw at seventh-placed Watford on Saturday.

But the Clarets were left frustrated after a stoppage-time effort by striker Chris Wood was deemed narrowly offside.

Watford came out of the blocks strongest and Gerard Deulofeu twice went close early on, with one effort superbly saved by Tom Heaton before James Tarkowski cleared a shot off the line.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Watford v Burnley - Vicarage Road, Watford, Britain - January 19, 2019 Watford's Gerard Deulofeu shoots at goal REUTERS/David Klein

Heaton, who has been in fine form since replacing Joe Hart in goal earlier this month, was at his very best to deny Troy Deeney just before the break but the momentum gradually moved to the visitors.

Burnley had several chances to win but Ashley Barnes and Dwight McNeil missed great opportunities for Sean Dyche's side and Watford keeper Ben Foster was in sharp form.

The Clarets, who had won their last three games, are on 22 points in 16th place, three points above the relegation zone.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Watford v Burnley - Vicarage Road, Watford, Britain - January 19, 2019 Burnley's Chris Wood scores past Watford's Ben Foster before the goal is subsequently disallowed for offside Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers

Dyche was unhappy that his team had missed out on two potentially vital points, and questioned whether the disallowed effort from New Zealander Wood was offside.

"I didn’t think it was (offside) at the time, and looking back, I don’t think it was now and I'd be surprised if the majority didn’t think it was onside," said Dyche.

"We had three or four golden chances and it was a good performance. The energy and the edge we play with as a group is coming back but those extra two points would have been very welcome. Unfortunately a big decision has gone against us," added the former Watford manager.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Watford v Burnley - Vicarage Road, Watford, Britain - January 19, 2019 Burnley's Dwight McNeil shoots over the crossbar REUTERS/David Klein

Current Hornets boss Javi Gracia declined to comment on the offside decision but praised both goalkeepers for their displays.

"I think today it wasn’t our best game but it was positive to get a point. We tried to win the game and were looking for different options to attack," said the Spaniard.

"We created chances with Deulofeu at the beginning of the game, and we created two more in the first half but I think the goalkeepers were everywhere today," he said.

(Reporting by Simon Evans; Editing by Ken Ferris and Toby Davis)