Watford's Healey steps up to break Saints hearts in the 96th minute

By Alessandro Schiavone at Vicarage Road

Watford 1-1 Southampton

Goals: Adams (S), Healey (W)

Watford huffed and puffed for 96 minutes before Rhys Healey finally found a way through when his volley squirmed under the otherwise excellent Southampton keeper Gavin Bazunu to make it 1-1.

Che Adams had given Saints the lead 11 minutes after the restart with an expert finish inside the box.

In a very cagey opening half, neither side held the keys to opening up the opposition.

Adam Armstrong went close for Saints when he stuck out his leg to intercept his teammate Jan Bednarek’s well-taken volley from a corner only for the ball to go north of the crossbar.

But apart from that scare, Watford were on top.

Bajovic couldn't reach an inswinging cross at the far-post while Ken Sema and Francisco Sierralta spurned gilt-edged chances. But so did Adams shortly after the restart when he fired wide of Ben Hamer’s goal on the turn after being slipped through by Stuart Armstrong.

Bazunu then had to be at his sharpest to divert Yaser Asprilla’s fine volley, producing one of the saves of the weekend in the Championship.

That laid the foundations for Saints' opener. Scotland international Adams’ chested control took out Chilean Sierralta before he got the beating of Hamer, who is now Watford’s automatic starter between the sticks ahead of Daniel Bachmann.

But the ex-understudy showed exactly why he’s in the starting line-up when his outstanding flying save put paid to Ryan Fraser’s hopes of extending the lead.

And how vital that proved to be as Healey went on to nick a late winner that sent the Hornets faithful into their own Winterwonderland.

Watford

26 Hamer- 3 Sierralta- 4 Hoedet- 5 Porteous- 6 Lewis- 9 Rajovic- 11 Kone- 12 Sema- 18 Asprilla- 39 Kayembe- 45 Andrews

Southampton

31 Bazunu- 2 Walker-Peters- 3 Manning-7 Aribo- 9 Armstrong-10 Adams- 17 Armstrong- 22 Alcaraz- 24 Charles- 35 Bednarek