Watford 2-2 Bournemouth: Points Shared at Vicarage Road as Cherries Hit Back Twice Against Hornets

Points were shared at Vicarage Road as Bournemouth hit back twice against Watford. The home side took an early lead, but the Cherries equalised just before half time. 

Roberto Pereyra then restored the Hornets lead soon after the break, but Jermain Defoe hit an injury time winner to earn the visitors a point. Both sides now sit on 37 points as they look good to secure Premier League football for another season.

Bournemouth started the brightest of the two sides, Nathan Ake hitting the bar with a header after connecting with Junior Stanislas' cross before Stanislas then shot himself, his attempt saved by Watford goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis.

Troy Deeney then looked to open the scoring with a long range shot on nine minutes as the game started to open up.

The home side then broke the deadlock on the 13th minute when Kiko Femenia's shot deflected off Josh King and past the Bournemouth keeper Asmir Begovic. The shot looked to be heading for goal and will go down as Femenia's first goal for the London side.

The game became quite end to end as both sides had chances. Ake headed over from a Bournemouth free-kick and King shot wide as the visitors looked for an equaliser, while Abdoulaya Doucoure and Jose Holebas both had chances to double Watford's lead.

With less than five minutes left of the first half, Stanislas curled a shot from the left of the penalty box. Karnezis palmed the effort away only for Holebas to use his hand to put the ball out of play, conceding a penalty. King stepped up for Bournemouth and drew his side level as he converted from the spot. 

The visitors suffered a blow just before the break, Stanislas hobbling off to be replaced by Marc Pugh, and their problems deepened just after the restart when Pereyra's shot found its way through the crowd of Bournemouth defenders in the penalty box to put the home side back in front. 

The game settled down a bit after the hour mark, with both sides sharing possession as they waited for the denouement - before Defoe came off the bench to help his side step up their search for an equaliser at Vicarage Road. 

Watford had a chance to create a two goal cushion heading into the final 10 minutes, but it was Bournemouth who snatched a dramatic equaliser in second half injury time.

In the 92nd minute Watford conceded a free kick within their own half. Bournemouth sent the ball towards the penalty box, and Ake knocked it on to Defoe who made no mistake in slotting past Karnezis to earn his side a point.