- Albion come from behind to draw 1-1 with Watford at the Amex
- Abdoulaye Doucoure fires the visitors into a first-half lead
- Three attacking substitutes spark Albion into life and they level with an own goal
- Seagulls 15th going into the winter break
In a game of few clear-cut chances, Abdoulaye Doucoure had given the Hornets a 19th-minute lead with a powerful finish, and although Albion had started well, the goal knocked the wind out of their sails.
The second half, though, was much better. Graham Potter made three attacking changes, and they paid off in the 79th minute when Alireza Jahanbkhsh’s right-wing cross was spectacularly turned into his own net by Watford defender Adrian Mariappa.
Albion had all the momentum in the closing stages, but they couldn’t grab the winner. They go into the two-week break in 15th place in the table with Sheffield United at Bramall Lane in a fortnight their next fixture.
There were four changes to the side which had shared six goals against West Ham United. Shane Duffy and fit-again Dan Burn returned to the defence alongside Ezequiel Schelotto, who made his first league start since Boxing Day. Solly March was back in the Premier League line-up for the first time since 25th November, with Dale Stephens (hamstring) missing out.
Schelotto lined up on the right of a back four with March further forward, and Albion started well, forcing three corners in the opening three minutes after Leandro Trossard found March, whose shot was deflected.
March produced a decent cross for Glenn Murray, but his downward header was comfortably held by Ben Foster. Watford hadn’t threatened in the first 19 minutes, but they took the lead with a great strike by Doucoure, who had scored an own goal in Albion’s 3-0 win on the opening day.
Aaron Mooy lost possession and the French midfielder ran towards goal before smashing a right-foot shot past Maty Ryan from just outside the box. On his 100th Albion appearance, there was nothing Albion’s keeper could do.
Mooy tried to make amends when Murray’s header dropped to him 20 yards out, but he fired well over. Watford were working hard all over the pitch to stop Albion playing with any fluency, although March did well on the half-hour to get to the by-line and pick out Schelotto, whose shot was blocked.
As Albion’s frustration grew, Schelotto was booked for a foul on Gerard Deulofeu, but he bailed out his side in the 36th minute when he got across to dispossess Doucoure, who was about to shoot after Troy Deeney robbed Duffy to set up a counter-attack and set up his team-mate.
Albion appealed for a penalty when Schelotto clashed with Deulofeu, but referee Kevin Friend waved play on, an incident which summed up a frustrating half for Albion who struggled for momentum after that bright opening.
There was a good tempo to Albion’s work after the break though, and Murray wasn’t far away from touching in Scheletto’s angled ball into the box, before Potter made his first change in the 57th minute when Neal Maupay replaced Burn, with March dropping into the left-back position in a 4-4-2.
Pascal Gross moved into central midfield alongside Davy Propper, with Mooy further forward in support of Maupay and Murray.
Steven Alzate replaced Gross just past the hour and Albion began to push Watford back. Will Hughes and Mariappa were both booked, before Lewis Dunk met Mooy’s cross in a crowded box, but his header was off target.
Potter made his final change, bringing on Jahanbakhsh for Schelotto and reverting to a 4-2-4.
Although he’d had little to do until then, Foster came to Watford’s rescue with 13 minutes to go when he denied Mooy with his outstretched left boot, but Albion’s much better second-half performance was rewarded moments later.
Jahanbakhsh’s raking cross from the right was heading for Murray until Mariappa, under no pressure, hammered it into the top corner for an own goal.
Now the home side sensed an unlikely victory. Trossard almost got on the end of a great ball into the box by Alzate, and the pair combined again, but the Belgian lifted the ball disappointingly over the target.
Not a classic by any stretch of the imagination, but there was nothing wrong with Albion’s determination and willingness to keep going when it looked like being a frustrating afternoon.
ALBION: Ryan; Schelotto (Jahanbakhsh 73), Dunk, Duffy, Burn (Maupay 57); March, Mooy, Propper, Trossard; Gross (Alzate 61); Murray.
SUBS NOT USED: Button (GK), Webster, Bernardo, Connolly.
ATTENDANCE: 30,443
LOTTERY RESULTS
1901 CLUB LOTTERY
1ST PRIZE £1000 286550
2ND PRIZE £100 SHOP VOUCHER 281627
3RD PRIZE BOTTLE OF WHISKEY 286415
4TH PRIZE BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE 285707
5TH PRIZE BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE 284552
ALBION HAT-TRICK
1ST £500 2092
2ND £50 0163
3RD £25 3828
1ST GOAL TIME 19 MINUTES