REPORT | ARGYLE 3 WATFORD 3
Argyle 3
Azaz 20
Whittaker 27
Hardie 42
Watford 3
Kayembe 11
Kone 38
Andrews 57
Argyle and Watford welcomed 2024 with a wonderful display of finishing in brutal conditions at Home Park.
Edo Kayembe opened the scoring for the visitors but the Greens struck back with a brace of brilliant goals from Finn Azaz and Morgan Whittaker. The Hornets replied with a beauty of their own, curled in by Ismael Kone.
An amazing first half ended with yet another fabulous strike from Ryan Hardie but Watford snatched their draw when Ryan Andrews executed a sublime effort to complete a special game.
Argyle made three changes from the 2-1 defeat at Southampton on Friday evening, Hardie, Dan Scarr and Kaine Kesler-Hayden replacing Ben Waine, Joe Edwards and Brendan Galloway.
Watford arrived at Home Park on an impressive away winning run of three matches and the Hornets started on the front foot, with a deflected strike from Kone looping goalward, requiring the full stretch of Conor Hazard’s frame to tip it over the bar.
Azaz had a shot blocked from a Kesler-Hayden pass before Watford broke up the other end to grab the opening goal, Kayembe steering the ball beyond Hazard after an inviting cutback from Matheus Martins.
Argyle replied with a steady spell of possession at a soggy Home Park. Adam Randell then pinched the ball in midfield, engineered a lovely reverse pass to Hardie just inside the penalty area and he took a touch before lashing a super strike against the inside of the post.
The Pilgrims quickly recycled the loose ball for Whittaker to force a smart save from Ben Hamer but that was merely an appetiser for, no exaggeration, one of the greatest goals ever scored at the Theatre of Greens.
A ball into the penalty area was hooked out toward Azaz on the left edge of the penalty area and he positioned his body for an exquisite side-foot volley back into the far corner of the net. The control and ingenuity of the finish was simply sublime, and a magical way to open 2024.
Argyle were suddenly in a rampant mood, Kesler-Hayden bursting down the right for a low cross that just eluded Hardie but Watford responded with a delicious pass releasing Andrews. Thankfully, his attempted square ball into the middle was cleared by Julio Pleguezuelo.
The next twist in a thrilling game fell the way of Argyle. Lewis Gibson fed Azaz down the left, he worked the ball right to Whittaker, who saw his first shot blocked but instantly smashed the rebound into the top corner with his weaker right foot.
Back came Watford, Andrews shaving the outside of the post with a low drive across goal. Hardie responded by beating the offside trap, forcing a good save from Hamer. Azaz pinged the rebound into the side-netting, with strong claims for a handball from the covering defender. The corner fell to Whittaker for a piledriver turned wide by Hamer.
Fair play to Watford, however, their equaliser was another brilliant goal, Kone exchanging passes on the edge of the area before curling a stunner into the top corner from 20 yards. Wow, what a game!
Incredibly, goal number five was just as good as the four that had already arrived, Whittaker guiding a wonderful first-time pass into the path of Hardie, who surged into the left channel and fizzed a cracking drive into the roof of the net with his left foot.
Five minutes of stoppage time extended the joy even further and, while there were no more goals, congratulations to both sets of players for a New Year treat.
The second period opened with a Mileta Rajovic shot deflected narrowly wide, quickly followed by a Whittaker drive that was a fraction too high. The drama returned to the other end, Hazard producing a superb low save from a deflected cross, expertly changing direction to get down very smartly.
Watford, however, were turning the screw and the sixth goal was another special finish, Andrews brilliantly dinking the ball over an advancing Hazard after a sweet first touch from Jake Livermore’s delightful assist.
Argyle, of course, reacted with positivity, Hardie running the channels for an effort deflected wide. Back to Watford, Hazard holding on to a rising drive from Giorgi Chakvetadze before Luke Cundle and Mickel Miller replaced Jordan Houghton and Bali Mumba.
A free-kick from 25 yards gave Whittaker another chance to unload his hammer of a left foot, drilling a low strike that prompted a fine save from Hamer. Edwards for Kesler-Hayden was the next home change midway through the second period.
A fantastic interception from Scarr prevented a certain goal for Watford after another strong run by Andrews but, understandably after an amazing first half and a busy Christmas, the tempo had begun to subside, unlike the relentless wind and rain.
Terrific play from Randell won the Greens a free-kick on the edge of the area and the strike from Azaz took a deflection, forcing Hamer into yet another top save. The fact both goalkeepers had been outstanding and still conceded three goals each was a reflection of the huge quality in the game.
Teenager Freddie Issaka replaced Hardie for the closing stages and Azaz had two shots blocked, as two exhausted teams finished a fantastic game with a share of the spoils, Hamer tipping over a Whittaker half-volley in the final act of an epic.
Argyle: 21 Conor Hazard; 2 Bali Mumba (14 Mickel Miller 64), 4 Jordan Houghton (capt) (28 Luke Cundle 64), 5 Julio Pleguezuelo, 6 Dan Scarr, 9 Ryan Hardie (35 Freddie Issaka 82), 10 Morgan Whittaker, 17 Lewis Gibson, 18 Finn Azaz, 20 Adam Randell, 29 Kaine Kesler-Hayden (8 Joe Edwards 69). Substitutes (not used): 25 Callum Burton (gk), 7 Matt Butcher, 15 Mustapha Bundu, 19 Tyreik Wright, 22 Brendan Galloway.
Booked: Mumba 59, Randell 86
Watford: 26 Ben Hamer; 4 Wesley Hoedt (capt), 5 Ryan Porteous, 8 Jake Livermore, 9 Mileta Rajovic, 11 Ismael Kone (24 Tom Dele-Bashiru 72), 16 Giorgi Chakvetadze (14 Rhys Healey 72), 37 Matheus Martins, 39 Edo Kayembe (18 Yaser Asprilla H-T), 42 James Morris, 45 Ryan Andrews (10 Imran Louza 84). Substitutes (not used): 1 Daniel Bachmann, 3 Francisco Sierralta, 7 Tom Ince, 15 Mattie Pollock, 59 Jack Grieves.
Booked: Healey 87, Martins 87
Referee: Robert Madley
Attendance: 16,355 (1,459 away)