By Tim Hodges from the Amex
Brighton & Hove Albion 2 Watford 2
The Albion drew 2-2 with Watford at the Amex this evening and are now out of contention to make the end of season play-offs.
Gus Poyet made sweeping changes to the team that featured at West Ham.
Captain Gordon Greer was rested after the recurrence of an abdominal injury and the midfield maestro Vicente could only make the bench after feeling unwell on Monday evening.
David Gonzalez made his debut in goal for the Seagulls at the expense of Peter Brezovan.
However, Gonzalez’s far from poor performance drew an unfortunate reaction from some parts of the Albion crowd which appeared to anger Poyet when the manager spoke about it at the post-match press conference.
Watford went ahead after just six minutes. A free kick from Murray just nicked the head of Ashley Barnes in the Albion wall. This wrong-footed Gonzalez and he was unable to readjust quickly enough.
Ashley Barnes had a great chance to put the Seagulls level, but blasted a volley wide with only Kuszczak to beat.
Barnes was involved in an incident with Watford captain John Eustace, who appeared to raise his hand to Barnes. Referee Scott Mathieson saw fit to only issue a yellow card.
Soon after Will Buckley met a Marcos Painter cross 10 yards out, but the ball hit the inside of the post and bounced to the grateful Kuszczak.
Barnes was then involved at the other end when he tugged at Hogg as he was about to shoot. The referee immediately pointed to the spot and Deeney fired past Gonzalez for 2-0.
Romain Vincelot replaced the injured Marco Painter at half time as the Albion went on the attack.
It was Inigo Calderon who strode through the Hornets defence but had his shot beaten away by Kuszczak. However, Calderon hit the rebound into the ground and the ball found its way into the net to halve Watford’s advantage.
Vicente replaced LuaLua and the Albion really began to find their stride. The Seagulls moved up a gear and began to get Buckley more into the match.
Former Albion striker Chris Iwelumo who had done little apart from trying to influence the linesman, was replaced by Garner as Watford looked build on their slender lead.
But it was Vicente who was running the show once more. At times he had as many as four Watford players around him, as he switched from hugging the left touchline, to the centre of the park and tried to get the Albion going towards parity.
Gonzalez was helping as well as every time he got the ball he would distribute with a crisp direct kick, almost always to an Albion shirt.
Adam El-Abd had a great chance with a header from Vicente centre, but it was the Spaniard, popping up on the left, who crossed for Buckley to side-foot Albion level against his former club at 2-2.
Towards the end Vicente made more chances for Albion to win the game but despite five minutes of stoppage time and Watford’ s reluctance to progress much over halfway in the closing stages the draw keeps Albion in the Championship for at least another season.
Albion: Gonzalez; Calderon, Dunk, El-Abd, Painter; Buckley, Bridcutt, Dicker, LuaLua; Barnes, Mackail-Smith. Subs: Ankergren, Vincelot, Noone, Vicente, Assulin.
Watford: Kuszczak; Doyley, Taylor, Nosworthy, Dickinson; Eustace, Hogg, Buaben, Murray; Iwelumo, Deeney. Subs: Loach, Bennett, Whichelow, Garner, Assombalonga.
Ref: Scott Mathieson (Cheshire)
