Ryan Andrews earns Watford point from six-goal thriller at Plymouth

Posted Tuesday, January 02, 2024 by PA

Ryan Andrews’ second-half equaliser secured Watford a 3-3 Championship draw from a topsy-turvy New Year’s Day thriller at Plymouth.

Visiting goalkeeper Ben Hamer made a brilliant stoppage-time save to deny Plymouth’s 13-goal top scorer Morgan Whittaker and central defender Lewis Gibson nearly sealed it with a thumping 18-yard shot, which flew just over in the final minute.

Despite torrential rain throughout, Argyle and Watford served up a thrilling, five-goal first half at Home Park with Plymouth taking a 3-2 lead into half-time.

Watford were rewarded for their bright start in the 11th minute when Matheus Martins cut the ball back from the byeline following a quick throw-in on the right.

Edo Kayembe profited with a clinical finish, clipping the ball past Conor Hazard at his near post.

Home keeper Hazard did well to race out and prevent Watford taking a 2-0 lead after 13 minutes as he beat striker Rajovic to a through ball.

Two minutes earlier he had tipped over Ismael Kone’s goal-bound shot which was heading for the top corner until Hazard’s timely intervention.

Their lead did not last long. Argyle levelled with a brilliant first-time side-foot volley from Finn Azaz – on loan from Aston Villa – from the edge of the box after 20 minutes.

Scorer turned creator seven minutes later as Azaz’s cross-field ball from left to right set fellow playmaker Whittaker away down the right.

Top scorer Whittaker’s first shot was blocked but as it rebounded to him, he roofed home a thundering strike to beat Hamer from an angle.

As well as hitting the upright, Ryan Hardie saw his 35th-minute shot superbly save by Hamer, while – two minutes earlier – Andrews fired the ball just past the far post.

Watford responded by levelling in the 38th minute with another superb goal as Kone played a one-two with Mileta Rajovic before sending a curling shot from the left out of the reach of out-stretched goalkeeper Hazard.

There was still time for the hosts to regain the lead and again they did in style with Whittaker releasing Scottish striker Hardie through the middle of the Watford defence.

Hardie, who had earlier seen his 18th-minute effort come back off the post, raced forward before sending a low shot past Hamer, which gave the Watford stopper little chance as it flew off the surface and in.

In an end-to-end first half, both sides had other golden opportunities to score.

Hazard could do little when Andrews raced through on an incisive Jake Livermore through ball in the 57th minute to cleverly make it 3-3.

Andrews clipped the ball past marker Bali Mumba and then flicked it over Hazard to level.

Hamer made a top-drawer acrobatic save to keep the score to 3-3 as he went full-stretch to keep out Azaz’s 78th-minute goal-bound free-kick from the edge of the box as the spoils were shared.