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.
The managers
Plymouth director of football Neil Dewsnip:
Watford keeper Ben Hamer made two incredible saves at the end of the game. Credit to the keeper, they are two top-class saves to stop us winning the game.
“There was just one thing missing today. We want to win. We seem to be having the same conversation, don’t we? Birmingham, Cardiff and now Watford. The players are playing some attractive football and we want to do that.
“We want them to score two, three goals every game but we also need to find a way of stopping letting so many in and then we can win a few more games.
“It was an exciting game of football and two very attack-minded teams. It was quite open, a little too open at times for my liking but I am sure the fans have enjoyed every second.
“I thought we probably did enough, particularly towards the end, to win the game. I thought all the goals were different but all quality finishes.
“Let’s not forget, we are not all about entertaining. Of course, entertainment is important but we want to win so the lads are again disappointed they have not won the game. I thought momentum was with us towards the end of the game.
“The players who have come on to the pitch have added to that momentum, credit to them, and we are disappointed – not dissimilar to when we played at Cardiff – that we have not won.”
Watford’s Valerien Ismael:
“Attacking-wise we played well but defensively, especially in the first half, we were not stable enough.
“We knew that the transition from Plymouth are dangerous and we had to be more aggressive. We took a step back.
“The second half was better, especially the first 30 minutes. We played well and stayed calm and passed the ball and deserved to score the goal.
“At the end, both teams wanted to win the game but at the same time not wanting to lose it. It was a little bit chaotic but very entertaining for the fans.
“Especially when we come back to 2-2, at that point we need to stay calm, more composure and to stay in the game.
“It is always a learning process for us and in the second half it was better, especially with the ball into the final third.
“We are scoring goals and we are playing well.
“The Bristol game gives us the wrong picture from this period, because we have played Blackburn away, Plymouth away – strong teams at home – and we played a great game against Stoke but the red card changed the game.
“You can blame us for the Bristol game, it was a bad day but the mentality of the players to come back today against a strong side at home was good.
“We have a got a good feeling we can be better and the January and February period will give us more energy, belief and consistency.”