Two goals in a minute in the opening period of the second half from Michael Adu-Poku saw Watford Under-21s come back from 2-0 down at half-time to earn a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth at London Colney this afternoon.

It was a result that stretches Charlie Daniels’ side unbeaten run to four games, while Adu-Poku – who made his debut on loan at Kings Langley on Saturday – now has three goals in two games after netting the winner at QPR last week.

It was a game that was often made tricky by a strong wind which generally below straight down the pitch. The team that had it at their backs had some advantage but the gusts were so powerful and often unpredictable it made it difficult for both sides.

The visitors bossed the opening 20 minutes and pinged the ball around with alacrity, and Watford found it hard to get over the halfway line.

There was a warning inside the opening minute as full-back Noa Boutin burst into the Watford box on the left and crossed for Kian Tydeman to flick the ball just wide.

Hornets keeper Jonathan Macaulay made a fine save in the 10th minute, tipping a fierce shot over the bar from Jonny Stuttle after he had been played in by Dominic Sadi.

Three minutes later a clever corner routine straight from the training pitch saw the ball played short and then shifted on again to Lewis Brown, and he chipped to the back of the box where the incoming Max Kinsey met the ball with a volley which clipped the bar on its way over.

Bournemouth almost handed Watford the lead when they allowed the lively Zavier Massiah-Edwards to steal the ball 30 yards out. It ran loose and Laken Torres seized on it, steering the ball wide of keeper Cameron Plain but then seeing his goalbound effort cleared near the line by Archie Harris.

The pattern of the half returned to the Cherries asking most of the questions, and Macaulay excelled again on the 20-minute mark when he pushed away Sadi’s shot after the forward had broken into the box.

Aidan Coyne, who has been a regular traveller with the first team recently, captained the side and gave a mature and calm performance, summed up by his goal-saving tackle after 33 minutes that denied Stuttle as he was about to pull the trigger from close range.

On a rare sortie forward Freddie Buers pinched the ball inside the Bournemouth half and moved it left for Massiah-Edwards. He immediately checked inside to make space but sent his shot over the bar.

It looked like Watford had survived a lop-sided first half but then the visitors netted twice in as many minutes.

First, in the 43rd minute, Karlos Gregory sent Stuttle though on goal and although Macaulay parried his shot, Tydeman was on hand to net the rebound.

Then, on the stroke of half time, Boutin broke away down the left and played an intelligent low ball across the face of goal and Stuttle accepted the invitation by turning it past Macaulay.

It was probably a fair reflection on the game, but with the goals coming so late and close together, it was a particularly harsh double blow.

It could have been even worse three minutes after the restart as Balraj Landa slipped a pass through the Watford defence but Boutin ran onto it and sent his shot into the side netting.

In the 59th minute the Hornets grabbed a foothold.

Adu-Poku, who had a particularly impressive second half, nicked the ball away from a defender midway inside the Bournemouth half, accelerated into the centre of the box and then sent a precise, firm shot into the bottom corner.

From the restart it was almost a carbon copy as again Adu-Poku saw the chance to steal the ball, this time breaking away through the inside-left channel before beating the advancing Plain in the same corner.

The game then swung totally as Watford, obviously buoyed by the quickfire double, began to stretch Bournemouth who clearly retreated into their shells for a time.

Once again Charlie Davis caught the eye at the heart of the midfield with an industrious and energetic display, often being the link between defence and attack but also equally willing to carry the ball at the visitors.

Striker Tobi Adeyemo made his second successive appearance as a 70th-minute sub after spending almost the whole season out through injury.

He showed his usual combative, strong running across the front line and unsettled a tiring Bournemouth defence – but it was also clear he will need plenty more minutes before he has recovered his full sharpness.

The closest either side came to winning the game was in the 71st minute when Watford substitute Zak Fraser-Grante controlled the ball on his chest in the box and then swivelled to send a shot just over the bar.

The Hornets stay seventh in the 10-team Premier League Development League South, and travel to face sixth-placed Charlton Athletic on Monday.

Watford: Macaulay; Gould, Buers, Gaspar (Hamiga ht), Coyne, Stallard, Adu-Poku, Grieves (Fraser-Grante ht), Torres (Gyamfi ht), Davis, Massiah-Edwards (Adeyemo 70).