Watford Observer:

Watford had to settle for a point for the first time this season after they came from behind to secure a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth at Vicarage Road this lunchtime.

The Hornets should have been behind as early as the fourth minute when Gabriel Tamas brought down Callum Wilson, but spot-kick fortune was smiling on them for the second time in as many games as Ian Harte missed the target from 12 yards.

The Romanian defender had a poor opening half-an-hour and his game was to end with a bad-looking injury as his teammates flattered to deceive too often in the opening period.

They also needed Heurelho Gomes to make an excellent save to keep the score level at the break as he tipped over a Wilson header in injury time.

Bournemouth had a goal chalked off for offside at the start of the second half but their efforts were to be rewarded in the 63rd minute when Harry Arter cracked a superb 25-yard drive past Gomes.

The Hornets were disjointed throughout but Craig Cathcart, who had impressed after replacing Tamas in the first half, earned the draw with seven minutes of normal time when he showed fine technique to fire home a volley after the ball had dropped nicely for him.

Despite the 1-0 Tuesday night win at Blackpool, the Hornets made three changes in the continued absence of head coach Oscar Garcia and looked set to change formation again from 4-2-3-1 to 4-3-3.

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In came Tamas, Sean Murray for his first league start of the season, and Lloyd Dyer – who finally made his full Watford debut in the Championship – as Gabrielle Angella and Troy Deeney were ruled out, while Lewis McGugan dropped to the bench. The captain’s armband was taken by Gomes in Deeney’s absence.

Gianni Munari and Fernando Forestieri were back following their hamstring injuries but both had to be content for a place among the substitutes.

Cherries boss Eddie Howe also made three changes following his side’s 3-1 home reverse against Leeds United in midweek.

Artur Boruc, fresh from signing on loan from Southampton, came straight in between the posts in place of Lee Camp, while Junior Stanislas and Eunan O’Kane came in for Ryan Fraser and Yann Keromrgant, who were both on the bench.

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It was the visitors who had the first attempt inside the opening minute when, following a game of head tennis near the edge of the Hornets’ penalty area, Matt Ritchie dragged a left-footed shot harmlessly wide.

Within two minutes though, the Hornets should have been behind following the latest self-induced episode of early drama in one of their games this season, as Tamas was left to consider himself a very fortunate individual.

The centre-half allowed himself to get out-muscled by Wilson as the two players went to deal with a ball down the right and as the Bournemouth striker closed in on goal, he was brought down by the Romanian. Referee Oliver Langford had no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot but, rather surprisingly, opted not to show Tamas a card. That was a left off to a degree but what happened next was an even bigger one, as Harte pulled his left-footed spot-kick well wide of Gomes’ left-hand post.

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The hosts immediately began to threaten on the attack, with a ball over the top finding Ikechi Anya on the edge of the 18-yard box, but his pull down went behind Vydra. Soon after, the Hornets had their first attempt when Murray headed a free-kick over the top.

Tamas was still looking shaky though, and in the 13th minute another error from the centre-half gave Arter a shooting opportunity but his effort was blocked. But within moments Daniel Pudil had sent Dyer racing away down the left and his low centre wasn’t far away from being converted b y Vydra.

Gomes had to go to ground to deal with a low angled drive from Andrew Surman as the game continued to ebb and flow. Watford’s next opening came in the 30th minute when following a patient build-up down the right between Juan Carlos Paredes and Anya, the ball was worked back inside to Daniel Tozser who, spotting Vydra’s dart into the area, lifted the ball over the defence and into his path but the Czech striker was unable to get enough on his first-time effort to divert it past Boruc.

Ritchie curled a shot over at the end but not before Tamas had been left on the ground with a serious-looking injury following his latest coming together with Wilson. After several minutes of treatment, the defender was carried off the pitch and replaced by Cathcart, who came on for his debut.

Pudil had the Hornets’ next attempt in the 36th minute, hooking a left-footed half-volley wide from the edge of the area after Vydra had chested down a half-cleared Dyer cross from the left.

Another opening looked like it would be on the cards when a long ball out of defence found Paredes and Vydra both onside and in space, but the ball wouldn’t come down quickly enough for the hosts to take maximum advantage of their brief numerical supremacy in that position.

Owing primarily to the injury to Tamas, five minutes of stoppage time were needed at the end of what had been a disjointed first half in many respects. But the Hornets needed Gomes to be at his best to maintain parity at the interval as the goalkeeper produced to top-class save to tip over a header from Wilson, who looked odds on to score after being picked out by a right-sided cross from tight to the goal line.

The Hornets surived another let off within the first two minutes of the second half as, after Cathcart had made an attempted clearance, Almen Abdi was on as his heels as the ball ran to Surman on the edge of the area. He connected well with a right-footed shot which Gomes could only parry to his left and Wilson closed in to convert the rebound, but was flagged offside.

Watford responded by winning two corners, the second of which was awarded after Joel Ekstrand’s near-post flicked header was deflected over the top. Another corner soon followed and this time Tozser’s flat delivery from the right was allowed to bounce in the area and it appeared as if the ball may have struck a Bournemouth arm, but the referee waved away any appeals.

Stanislas pulled a shot wide of the near post at the other end before Cathcart was unfortunate to have a free-kick given against him after seemingly winning a challenge fairly towards the right edge of the penalty area. Gomes punched clear the inswinging delivery but the keeper would have been troubled by Ritchie’s half-volleyed follow-up had it not been blocked first.

Ruben Martinez decided to make a change in the 57th minute as Forestieri came on for Dyer, who had been operating on the right from the start of the second period.

But the goal Bournemouth had been threatening arrived in the 63rd minute – and it was one out of the top drawer.

After a good spell of possession, the Hornets had been pushed back but Ekstrand’s ball down the left touchline looked like it would be collected by Tozser. However, he lost out and the ball was worked forward to Ritchie, who played it across to Arter and the Bournemouth midfield took aim before crashing a superb rising left-footed drive into the top corner to make it 1-0.

The Rookery were baying for a red card when Forestieri was cleaned out by Steve Cook, but the Cherries defender escaped with a yellow card, and the same punishment was dished out to Tozser for his protests, as was Surman for making his point too vocally.

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Arter also saw yellow for a foul on Forestieri, but not before Bournemouth had threatened to double their lead on the counter-attack, but a delay in a pass being made saw that opportunity founder.

Watford made their final change with 17 minutes remaining as Odion Ighalo came on for Abdi, while Howe also opted to change things as Stanislas made way for Marc Pugh.

The Hornets were looking towards the referee again with ten minutes remaining when a Tozser ball into the area allowed Anya to come inside off the left, before he went to go to ground as a challenge came in. But, if anything, it looked more like a slip from the Scotland wide man.

It was starting to look like it may not be the home side’s day but in the 83rd minute they got back on terms thanks to a fine finish after a Paredes delivery into the box was headed up into the air twice by two defenders and Cathcart watched the ball drop before hitting a right-footed volley back across Boruc and inside his right-hand post.

Having got back on terms, Watford so nearly took the lead with their next attack as they got away on the left and the ball was worked back to Vydra, who sliced his attempted finish but Forestieri was inches away from connecting with a diving header as the ball dropped narrowly wide of the far post.

Wilson was booked for dissent and Adam Smith came on for Ritchie, before the Hornets had another opening but Ighalo rather toe-poked his attempted finish at Boruc.

Tommy Elphick became the third player to receive a yellow card for a foul on Forestieri as the game entered five minutes of stoppage time, but neither side was able to create another clear chance as the contest ended all-square.

Watford: Gomes; Paredes, Ekstrand, Tamas (Cathcart 33), Pudil; Abdi (Ighalo 72), Tozser, Murray; Anya, Vydra, Dyer (Forestieri 57). Not used: Bond, Munari, McGugan, Fabbrini.

Bournemouth: Boruc; Francis, Cook, Elphick, Harte; Arter, O’Kane, Surman; Stanislas (Pugh 72), Ritchie (Smith 88), Wilson. Not used: Camp, Daniels, Fraser, Pitman, Kermorgant.

Bookings: Cook for a foul on Forestieri (68); Tozser for dissent (68); Surman for dissent (68); Arter for a foul on Forestieri (70); Wilson for dissent (87); Elphick for a foul on Forestieri (90).

Attendance: 14,320 (707 away).

Referee: Oliver Langford.