Thursday, May 20, 1999

Having taken a one-goal lead in the home leg of the Division One play-off semi-final with Birmingham City, it took only two minutes at St Andrew's for Dele Adebola's scruffy goal to level the tie on aggregate.

A monumentally competitive match ensued, played out to deafening encouragement from both sets of supporters.

Watford's cause was abetted by the second-half dismissal of former Hornet David Holdsworth, but Alec Chamberlain was the hero of the evening.

An extraordinary save from Michael Johnson's header in injury time was the highlight; there followed two saves in the subsequent penalty shoot-out from another ex-Hornet, Paul Furlong, and from Chris Holland, the latter securing passage to the final at Wembley Stadium.

Reproduced by kind permission of Matt Rowson from his book, Watford FC On This Day