Lucas digs deep with late rescue
LUCAS DIGNE rescued a point for Everton with a magical stoppage-time free-kick – and denied Watford a win over ex-manager Marco Silva.
Two goals in two second-half minutes looked to have handed Watford their first-ever win at Goodison Park last night.
But it was snatched from them at the death by Digne’s moment of magic in the dying seconds.
It had looked like it another Hornets old boy would hand them more misery as Richarlison’s first-half strike put Everton in front.
But an own-goal by Seamus Coleman followed by a towering header from Abdoulaye Doucoure after the break gave Javi Gracia’s welldrilled side a deserved lead.
Watford at least stopped a run of three straight defeats.
Everton, meanwhile, are still struggling to find real consistency despite the progress they have made under Silva. The dispute between Everton and Watford over Silva is still not resolved after the Hornets complained to the Premier League because of the Toffees’ pursuit of the Portuguese boss last year.
Silva said he left his time at Vicarage Road in the past but the travelling fans made their feelings clear towards him here before his first game in charge against them.
They were as angry as the club after their form plummeted following Everton’s approach and he was eventually sacked in January.
And they brought yellow balloons to supposedly represent snakes if Silva was in any doubt about what they think of him.
Silva is now enjoying life at Goodison Park after replacing Sam Allardyce in the summer and the Toffees are slowly improving under his tutelage, even if this did stall that progress.
But, as if it was written in the script, it was the man Silva took from Watford who opened the scoring.
Coleman played a ball into Andre Gomes, whose touch led it to Theo Walcott in an offside position.
The flag stayed down as Gomes took back control and crossed for Richarlison to find the net with a first-time finish.
Watford had a great chance to equalise before the break but Roberto Pereyra did not get enough contact on Domingos Quina’s well-placed cross.
Troy Deeney then turned wide before Isaac Success was denied a clear run at goal by the faintest of touches from Everton defender Yerry Mina. The visitors were getting the better of the chances though and Deeney’s shot after the break was pushed away by Jordan Pickford in the home goal.
They got their deserved equaliser in the 63rd minute – albeit with a fair bit of fortune.
Digne slipped as he tried to head clear which gave substitute, and former Toffee, Gerard Deulofeu possession.
The Spanish winger put Kiko Femenia out wide and his cross was turned on to the post by Pereyra.
Coleman could not react quick enough as he tried to control the ball and it bounced off him into the net.
Watford were then in front two minutes later as Doucoure rose to power home Pereyra’s cross off Pickford. Everton had the chance to bring it back level within a dramatic fourminute spell but Gylfi Sigurdsson’s spot-kick was saved by Ben Foster after Mina was fouled by Kabasele in the area.
But they got their equaliser when summer signing Digne got his first goal for the club from a dead ball outside the area.