Fixtures against Everton in 1984 are usually remembered for the combination of pride and disappointment of Watford’s first appearance in an FA Cup Final, but two-and-a-half months beforehand the two clubs had been involved in an eight-goal thriller at Vicarage Road.
The emotions may have lent more towards frustration 40 years ago this week after Graham Taylor’s side twice held two-goal leads against the Toffees – including with only 15 minutes to go – but ultimately had to settle for a point.
Fresh from scoring twice in the 4-2 victory at West Ham United four days previously, John Barnes headed the Hornets in front in the Division One clash on Saturday, February 25, 1984. But that was just the prelude to a breathless second half.
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Mo Johnston gets set to pounce as Everton try to keep out John Barnes' first-half header... (Image: Watford Observer)
Graeme Sharp equalised, but the home side soon had the comfort of a two-goal cushion for the first time through Mo Johnston and Barnes’ second goal of the game.
...but the ball bounces over the line to give the Hornets the lead (Image: Watford Observer)
Andy Gray halved that advantage only for Wilf Rostron to again seemingly put Taylor’s troops on course for the win by making it 4-2 with 15 minutes remaining.
Mo Johnston gets up highest to head Watford back in front in the second half (Image: Watford Observer)
However, having the ability to shut up shop was not one of Watford’s greatest strengths at the time, and Sharp pulled it back to 4-3 with ten minutes to go before Adrian Heath levelled in injury-time.
This was the fifth successive game in which Johnston scored for Watford (Image: Watford Observer)
It was to be the first of two high-scoring league encounters against Howard Kendall’s men in that calendar year – Everton were to return to Vicarage Road in September and win 5-4 – but here are some pictures from our archive of the first thriller between the two clubs in 1984.
John Barnes (No. 9) holds his arms aloft in celebration as the Toffees look dejected after conceding again (Image: Watford Observer)
Wilf Rostron pounces in the six-yard box to put the Hornets 4-2 ahead (Image: Watford Observer)
Everton keeper Neville Southall tries to keep the ball out... (Image: Watford Observer)
...but Rostron turns away to celebrate (Image: Watford Observer)
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