Wycombe Wanderers earned their first tournament point this season by drawing a draw with Watford at Adams Park.
Ismaela Sarr headed Kiko Viminia’s cross with a header to head the visitors’ lead in the 52nd minute.
But Wycombe, who lost their first seven league matches in that match, quickly regained their balance as defender Anthony Stewart nodded in a corner kick by Joe Jacobson midway through the second half.
They were denied victory late after Alex Samuel was ruled to block Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster, who diverted the ball into his own goal after a corner kick in stoppage time.
Wycombe had lost every official match since his first league play-off victory over Oxford United last July.
But the hosts dominated the game, having given the start of the season for the first time to 38-year-old target player Adipio Akinfenwa, and the former Watford youth player wore the Gareth Ainsworth team badge.
Akinfenwa missed a great opportunity with the scoring level in the 41st minute, as he fired on the crossbar with Foster stranded after Scott Kashkit was downgraded.
Moments later, Watford’s Joao Pedro scored a disallowed goal, as he inadvertently veered a low cross pass from the arm in a quiet first half.
Wanderers twice tested Foster through Akinvenua and David Wheeler early in the second half before Sarr opened the scoring with his first meaningful opening for Watford.
But Cherboys’ team was deserved and denied a complete turnaround with referee John Brooks punishing Samuels for fouling Foster, who deflected Jacobson’s corner kick into his net.
Substitute Glenn Murray then at Watford pulled a good effort wide with the last kick of the match. Wycombe maintains the 23rd position in the table while Watford ranks third.
Wiccombe director Gareth Ainsworth told BBC Three counties:
“It’s amazing we got this point. I think it’s coming, all the hard work we put into in the last three games. We deserved a point and today I think we might get three points.”
“I thought we were the best team against a side that nearly stayed in the Premier League last season. It’s an exceptional effort from my kids, and I’m really proud of them.”
Regarding a late-on-no-go goal on his part: “It seems like there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, but I don’t want to be a judge. I have said that I will not get involved in criticizing the officials. I hope in the second half of the season we get some. These decisions. ”
Watford coach Vladimir Iveich told BBC radio about three provinces:
“(It was) a tough night, we were expecting something like this before the match. Today we didn’t do our job to the best of our ability.
“We cannot be satisfied with the way we played and that is something we are not satisfied with for the first time in a while.
“We had a lot of problems in our defensive form. When we had the ball we couldn’t make things. That’s something we have to work on.”
Line up
Wycombe
- 1Olsop
- 2Grimmer
- 12Knight
- 5Stuart
- 3Jacobson
- 18Thompson
- 24Edeniran
- 11KashkiReplaced withSamuelin a 88 ‘Minutes
- 17HorganReplaced withOnidinmain a 86 ‘Minutes
- 7Wheeler
- 20AkinvinoaReplaced withthe last onein a 85 ‘Minutes
Alternatives
- 8Pattison
- 9the last one
- 10Bloomfield
- 16Phillips
- 23Onidinma
- 25Samuel
- 31Stockdale
Watford
- 1Babysitter
- 21womanhoodBooked in 80 minutes
- 27CapasilReplaced withShalubain a 75 ‘Minutes
- 5The consolation of Ikong
- 15Cathcart
- 12Scheme
- 23he walked
- 8CleverleyReplaced withGarnerin a 90 ‘Minutes
- 29Capua
- 20WhatReplaced withMurrayin a 74 ‘Minutes
- 10Joao Pedro
Alternatives
- 3Nagakia
- 6Willmott
- 14Shaluba
- 16Garner
- 17Murray
- 26Bachmann
- 31Seralta
Live text
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The match ended, Wycombe Wanderers 1, Watford 1.
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The second half ends, Wycombe Wanderers 1, Watford 1.
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Sneak, Wicomb Wanderers. Fred Onidima tries for a through ball, but Alex Samuel gets caught offside.
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Missed attempt. Glenn Murray (Watford) with a right foot on the right side of the penalty area close, but misses on the left. With the help of Keiko Viminia after a corner kick.
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Corner, Watford. Granted by Josh Knight.
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Attempt is prohibited. Joao Pedro (Watford) was banned with his left foot from outside the penalty area. With the help of James Garner with a header.
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Ben Foster (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Wrong by Alex Samuel (Wycombe Wanderers).
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Corner, Wicomb Wanderers. Ben Foster.
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Watford Switch. James Garner replaces Tom Cleverley.
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Missed attempt. Nathaniel Shalobah (Watford), a right-footed shot from outside the penalty area, high and wide to the right. With the help of Tom Cleverley.
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Substitution, Wicomb Wanderers. Alex Samuel replaces Scott Kashkat.
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Joao Pedro (Watford) won with a free kick in the offensive game.
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Wrong by Jack Grimmer (Weicomb Wanderers).
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Substitution, Wicomb Wanderers. Fred Onidima replaces Daryl Horgan.
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Substitution, Wicomb Wanderers. Uche Ikpeazu replaces Adebayo Akinfenwa.
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Your attempt has been saved. Nathaniel Shalobah (Watford) A right-footed shot from the right side of the penalty area is saved in the middle of the goal.
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Attempt is prohibited. Tom Cleverley (Watford) is banned with the right foot from outside the box.
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Corner, Watford. Granted by David Wheeler.
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Missed attempt. Scott Kashkit (Wycombe Wanderers) punches with his left foot from a difficult angle on the left fouls to the left.
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