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Saints stung by stoppage-time Hornets

Live Matchday Images/2023-24/20231209 Watford vs Southampton/IMG_5124_65059e80-359a-408e-a165-25bfc9cba9a1_20231209033128_f64yb5

Watford substitute Rhys Healey made an instant impact off the bench to deny Southampton victory with a stoppage-time equaliser at Vicarage Road.

Ché Adams’s first goal since August had looked like being enough to fire Saints to a hard-fought 1-0 win, as the striker ended his four-month goal drought with a 56th-minute opener, thumping home with his left foot from Adam Armstrong’s knockdown.

Gavin Bazunu made a fabulous save from Yáser Asprilla to preserve the lead, and was very well protected by Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Jan Bednarek in front of him, as the Hornets seemed to lose hope.

But substitute Healey, only just introduced, saw a low shot squirm through Bazunu’s grasp six minutes into added time to earn the hosts a share of the spoils.

Russell Martin made one enforced change to his side due to the absence of Flynn Downes, who was unable to make the trip to Hertfordshire.

That meant a first start since September for Joe Aribo, rewarded for an impressive 30-minute cameo off the bench against Cardiff last time out in a 2-0 win in which Martin’s side might have scored many more.

Saints enjoyed their usual domination of possession at Vicarage Road, but the first half lacked goalmouth action at either end.

Bazunu was alert and aggressive to race from his line and win the ball cleanly before his momentum sent him clattering into Ken Sema, though the winger was subsequently flagged offside in any case.

Then the assistant referee came to Saints’ aid midway through the half when Sema fizzed in a free-kick from the right that was parried by Bazunu and hooked goalwards by Asprilla, who was also caught offside as his shot cannoned against the far post.

Carlos Alcaraz led the line from the start, but was replaced at half time by Ryan Fraser

Shea Charles was the first player to go into the book when he tripped Ismaël Koné near the right touchline, inviting another wicked Sema delivery that was only just out of reach for Watford’s onrushing top scorer Mileta Rajović.

The closest Saints came was an instinctive effort from Adam Armstrong when a right-wing corner was flicked goalwards by Bednarek, but the striker’s touch cleared the crossbar.

Bednarek had defending to do soon after, crucially sliding in to intercept a low cross from Jamal Lewis that was seeking Rajović at the far post.

Watford were the more dangerous team, and Sema went eye to eye with Bazunu in the closing stages of the half when Kyle Walker-Peters was drawn inside, leaving space for the winger to race through unopposed, but the Irishman stood tall, gave Sema little to aim at, and bravely repelled his shot.

Sema was Watford’s best player, and he produced another wonderful cross that might have been converted by the flying figure of Francisco Sierralta in stoppage time, but Saints survived another scare to get through to half time with their clean sheet still intact.

By now Adam Armstrong had joined Charles in the book for a foul fuelled by frustration, and Martin felt the need to shake things up at the interval, introducing Ryan Fraser for Carlos Alcaraz in the hope of injecting fresh impetus into his team.

It seemed to have the desired effect. Saints soon looked sharper, more like their usual selves. Stuart Armstrong, heavily involved in the opening minutes of the second period, tested veteran goalkeeper Ben Hamer from distance before sliding a pass into Adams, who allowed the ball to run across his body before driving a low left-footed shot inches wide of the far post.

At the other end, Bazunu was forced into his best save to date when Asprilla hit a low drive from the edge of the box that came through a crowded penalty area and was destined for the bottom corner until the Irishman intervened with a flying fingertip down to his right.

Ché Adams celebrates his second-half opener - his first goal since the late winner at Plymouth in August

Suddenly both sides were trading blows, and Saints registered the first knockdown when Fraser was set free down the left and delivered a chipped cross to the far post, where Adam Armstrong had the presence of mind to nod the ball down for Adams, who took a touch to set himself and drilled a low shot into the net from 12 yards with his left foot to break the deadlock.

The goal rocked Watford, who had performed well up to that point. Edo Kayembe saw a shot deflected wide, but otherwise there was little coming from the hosts by way of a response.

Instead Saints were eyeing a second on the break, as one counter led by Adam Armstrong invited Fraser to shoot with power, forcing Hamer into a decent save above his head.

The excellent Harwood-Bellis blocked Koné’s shot, before substitute Tom Ince was thwarted by Bazunu as Watford upped the ante with ten minutes to go.

Martin replaced goalscorer Adams with Sékou Mara to give fresh legs to the visitors’ attack, while James Bree and Will Smallbone were also called upon to help see the job through, as former Saint Wesley Hoedt took exception to how long Stuart Armstrong was taking to leave the field and talked his way into a yellow card.

Saints looked to have done enough to secure maximum points, but Watford hurled long balls and throw-ins towards the box and Healey pounced with a low shot that lacked power but deceived Bazunu, previously faultless all day, to snatch a share of the spoils.

Watford: Hamer, Andrews, Porteous, Sierralta, Hoedt (c), Lewis (Martins 80), Kayembe (Healey 90+5), Koné (Chakvetadze 80), Asprilla (Ince 69), Rajović (Bayo 70), Sema.

Unused substitutes: Bachmann, Pollock, Louza, Dele-Bashiru.

Yellow cards: Porteous, Koné, Hoedt.

Goal: Healey (90+6’)

Southampton: Bazunu, Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Manning, Charles, S Armstrong (Bree 87), Aribo (Smallbone 87), Alcaraz (Fraser 46), Adams (Mara 81), A Armstrong (c).

Unused substitutes: Lumley, Stephens, Holgate, Bragg, Edozie.

Goal: Adams (56’)

Yellow cards: Charles, A Armstrong, Fraser.

Referee: Geoff Eltringham

Attendance: 19,797(2,036 away)