CHERRIES HIT BACK IN SIX-GOAL FIRST HALF

KICK-OFF may have been delayed due to a false fire alarm, but that was no excuse for Bournemouth and Watford’s defenders vacating the Vitality Stadium for the entire first half. A gloriously bonkers opening 45 minutes saw six goals fly in from nine shots on target. Watford led 2-0, then it was 2-2, then 3-2, before Bournemouth clawed it back to 3-3. And, as is often the case, order was restored in the second half. So the spoils were shared, but this game will be remembered as the one where the art of defending disappeared until half-time. In the 14th minute, Watford stole the lead from their first chance when Ken Sema floated in a cross and found Troy Deeney who directed his free header into the far corner. Gerard Deulofeu then made a sprint for goal and only a Steve Cook challenge denied him as he was about to pull the trigger. Deeney, however, picked up the pieces to make it 2-0 on 27 minutes.. Then, between the 34th and 40th minutes, we witnessed six goals. First, Bournemouth’s Dan Gosling saw a powerful header wonderfully saved by Foster, but Nathan Ake picked up the rebound for 2-1. Then, Ryan Fraser whipped in a cross and Callum Wilson headed beyond Foster beautifully. The celebrations were short-lived. With a whack of his left foot, Sema caught Asmir Begovic off guard and made it 3-2 from 20 yards. Soon after Fraser made up for an earlier miss as he found the bottom corner, and that was that for a hectic first 45 minutes. BOURNEMOUTH (4-4-2): Begovic 4; Stanislas 4, S Cook 4, Ake 4.5, Daniels 4; Brooks 6, Lerma 6, Gosling 6, Fraser 6.5 Mousset (86min); Wilson 6.5 (Ibe 83), King 6.5. Subs not used): Boruc, Surman, Mousset, Defoe, Rico, Mings. Scorers: Ake 34, Wilson 37, Fraser 40. Booked: Gosling. Manager: Eddie Howe 6. WATFORD (4-2-2-2): Foster 6; Femenia 4, Cathcart 4.5, Mariappa 4, Holebas 4; Doucoure 6 (Cleverley 57, 6), Capoue 6; Pereyra 6, SEMA 7.5 (Hughes, 71, 6); Deulofeu 6.5 (Success, 90), Deeney 7. Subs not used: Gomes, Britos, Masina, Quina. Scorers: Deeney 14, 27, Sema 38. Booked: Doucoure, Deeney, Capoue, Holebas. Manager: Javier Gracia 6. Referee: David Coote 5. Attendance: 10,261.