But substitute Rose could still have earned victory at death (From Watford Observer)

But substitute Rose could still have earned victory at death

9:49pm Tuesday 7th April 2009 in

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Watford will have to wait until Saturday at least for the win they may need to make sure of their Championship safety after a dramatic finale saw Southampton grab a last gasp 2-2 draw at Vicarage Road tonight.

The point, in truth, was not what the visitors were after to ease their increasingly dire predicament near the basement, but it looked like a decent performance from the away side would go unrewarded when Tamas Priskin headed the Hornets 2-1 in front after the break.

However, centre-half Jan-Paul Saeijs had other ideas and he followed up the evening’s opening goal with a stunning 30-yard free-kick at the death to earn the Saints a point.

But if that wasn’t enough, Hornets substitute Danny Rose then conspired to somehow miss the proverbial sitter to put his side on the 53 points tally that is thought certain to be enough to remain in the division.

After that finale, it was almost forgotten that Watford’s on-loan winger Aleksandrs Cauna had celebrated his first start with his first goal to cancel out Saeijs’ opener.

Brendan Rodgers made just the one change following Saturday’s 2-1 win at Doncaster Rovers, with Cauna making his full Hornets debut at the expense of the injured Don Cowie.

After a low-key opening, with the visitors deploying something akin to a 4-1-4-1 formation, Watford gradually began to up the ante after the five-minute mark. But it was the visitors who had the first opening in the 11th minute when, after winning the first corner of the game, Chris Perry hooked the ball back into the six-yard box from tight to the by-line and Ross Jenkins did very well to clear under pressure from Jason Euell.

This sparked an immediate response from the home side, with a good run from Jobi McAnuff down the right flank resulting in a corner, which Mike Williamson turned back into the area, but Jack Cork knocked the ball harmlessly wide.

A third corner in quick succession followed, but this one left the Hornets stunned.

Ryan Smith’s in-swinging left-footed set-piece from the right was met by the unmarked towering presence of centre-half Saeijs, who planted a routine header down and to the left of the static but helpless Scott Loach to hand the beleaguered Saints a shock 1-0 advantage in the 13th minute.

But nine minutes later a young Latvian was to mark his full debut in memorable fashion.

A quick Lloyd Doyley throw on the right found Priskin close to the by-line, and he laid the ball back into the left side of the area where Cauna struck a first-time left-footed shot that certainly caught keeper Kelvin Davis unaware as it went through him at the near post to make it 1-1.

Southampton’s response came in the shape of low 25-yard drive from Andrew Surman that Loach was comfortably behind, and then a fine reverse pass from Ryan Smith threatened to release Euell inside the area, but a combination of Doyley and then Jay DeMerit averted any danger.

The Saints continued to look to take the game to the home side, although Cauna again showed a glimpse of his ability with a superb 40-yard ball from tight to the left touchline down the inside left channel, but, unfortunately for the Hornets, it found Priskin in an offside position.

Watford’s next opportunity came in the 35th minute when a deep McAnuff corner from the right was headed back across the area by Williamson, but he was unable to pick out anyone in a yellow shirt.

However, the visitors continued to offer a threat from set-pieces and two minutes later Perry met a deep Lloyd James free-kick with a good angled downward header and Loach did well to get down and push the ball around his near post.

The Saints forced two more corners as the half drew to a close, but they were unable to capitalise on these as the opening period ended all-square.

Watford started the second half on the front foot, but it was the visitors who threatened first when Surman shot straight at Loach from distance.

However, the Hornets had a chance of their own soon after when Priskin capitalised on a lapse from Saeijs to open up a shooting opportunity on the left side of the area, but he snatched his shot badly wide of the near post.

An even better opening fell Watford’s way in the 50th minute when a ball forward was flicked inside by Priskin to Tommy Smith who was allowed to continue, despite looking suspiciously offside, but he dragged his low angled effort wide of the far post.

Ryan Smith became the first player to be booked soon after for a foul on Cauna, but on 56 minutes the Hornets’ scorer became the first player of the evening to make way and was replaced by Rose.

It was the visitors though, who continued to ask more of the attacking questions, and in the 58th minute DeMerit had to be alert at the back post to prevent Euell from getting in a clear header from a deep James cross.

However, Watford came within inches of regaining the lead in the 62nd minute. A quickly-taken Cork free-kick found Rose tight to the left touchline and he accelerated into the area and towards the by-line before pinging in a low cross which struck a Saints defender and fell for McAnuff, with his back to goal. McAnuff though, did very well to flick the ball back over his shoulder, only to see his attempt headed off the line by Rudi Skacel.

Mark Wotte decided to make his first change soon after, with Marek Saganowski coming on for Bradley Wright-Phillips, and one of the Polish international’s first acts was to flick the ball through to Euell in space in the area, but he fired straight at Loach. It was to prove a costly miss.

Watford won their seventh corner of the night in the 66th minute which McAnuff pulled back towards the edge of the area to Williamson in space, and he headed on for the equally poorly unmarked Priskin to fire a bullet header inside Davis’ near post for his 13th of the season to make it 2-1.

McAnuff then thought he should have had a penalty after being pulled back by Skacel, but referee Clive Penton decided the offence had started outside the area, awarded a free-kick and let the Saints left-back off with a caution.

Adam Lallana came on for Paul Wotton with 12 minutes remaining, and the Saints could have been back in it soon after when the overlapping Skacel was found on the left side of the area and Loach did very well to push his near post effort behind.

But Watford really should have had the game won as the game entered the final ten minutes. Breaking four on two, Tommy Smith found Priskin in space to his right, but the Hungarian striker’s first touch was terrible and, although he was able to get in a shot, Davis saved.

From the resultant corner though, Williamson got in a fine downward header that looked destined to trouble the Saints keeper until Lallana stuck out a boot to divert the ball over his own bar.

Both sides made changes with two minutes to go – Zotan Liptak replacing Euell, while Andrei Stepanov came on for Priskin to make his Hornets’ debut – but there was still time for one last twist in the tale.

Southampton were awarded what looked a dubious free-kick at least 30 yards out and Saeijs stepped up to curl a magnificent right-footed effort past the outstretched Loach to send the 2,000 Saints fans into delirium.

But their celebrations should have ended as quickly as they had begun, because after McAnuff had been clattered into on the right, Tommy Smith got to the by-line and squared to give Rose what appeared to be the most straightforward of finishes, but he inexplicably missed the ball completely.

There were then fears that lightening might strike twice when DeMerit was penalised for a foul near the edge of his area, but this time Surman took the set-piece and curled it over the top. It was the last act of a pulsating finale that ended with honours even.

Watford: Loach; Mariappa, DeMerit, M Williamson, Doyley; McAnuff, Jenkins, Cork, Cauna (Rose, 56); T Smith; Priskin (Stepanov, 88). Not used: Hoyte, Hoskins and Lee.

Southampton: Davis; James, Saeijs, Perry, Skacel; Wotton; Surman (Lallana, 78); Smith, McGoldrick, Wright-Phillips (Saganowski, 64); Euell (Liptak, 88). Not used: Forecast and Schneiderlin.

Bookings: R Smith for a foul on Cauna after 52 mins; Skacel for a foul on McAnuff after 71 mins.

Attendance: 16,066.

Referee: Clive Penton.