Bournemouth (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Bournemouth substitute Benik Afobe salvaged a 2-2 draw against Watford in the Premier League as the hosts twice came from behind at Dean Court on Saturday.
Watford were on course for their first win in seven matches before Afobe denied them all three points eight minutes from time on the south coast.
Christian Kabasele’s header had given Watford a 24th-minute lead before Joshua King equalised shortly after half time.
Another header, this time from Troy Deeney, restored Watford’s advantage only for Afobe to rescue a point for Eddie Howe’s side.
Mid-table Bournemouth made a lively start as they went in search of a first win in three matches following successive defeats by Millwall and Hull.
Callum Wilson headed over from Charlie Daniels’s cross while it took a fine save from Heurelho Gomes to turn the diminutive Ryan Fraser’s looping header over the crossbar.
Brazilian goalkeeper Gomes was called into action again for Watford when Jack Wilshere let fly from the edge of the area.
But Bournemouth’s defence again proved their weakness as Watford took the lead from a corner.
Jose Holebas’s cross was accidentally flicked on by Steve Cook to Miguel Britos, who in turn nodded the ball back across goal for Kabasele to head in from close range.
Gomes preserved Watford’s lead with a fine scrambling save after a Junior Stanislas shot took a huge deflection off Britos.
But the former Tottenham goalkeeper could not stop Bournemouth drawing level in the 48th minute after he was let down by Watford’s defence.
A throw-in caught the Hornets cold and Adam Smith made light of several weak challenges before squaring the ball to King, who made no mistake with a simple tap-in.
Gomes made another fine save to deny Fraser again before Deeney restored Watford’s lead by powering in a header from a Tom Cleverley corner past Bournemouth goalkeeper Artur Boruc.
But Afobe, with Kabasele lying injured, seized on Watford’s hesitation to take up the vacant space and shoot across Gomes following a pass from Andrew Surman to ensure the match ended all square.
