Plymouth crash to Hameur blow

On target: Hameur Bouazza
14 April 2012

Ian Holloway is unlikely to truly savour his birthday cake today but it will not be as hard to swallow as this FA Cup quarter-final defeat at the hands of Watford.

Hameur Bouazza fired the all-important goal — a 21st-minute screamer — to take Aidy Boothroyd's Premiership strugglers within 90 minutes of a glorious final at the end of an arduous season.

Read more:

• Too blue - foul-mouthed Jose rants at ref Riley

• Ten football fans knifed in Chelsea battle

• Blackburn 2 Man City 0

• Middlesbrough 2 Man Utd 2

Argyle were the best side on the pitch at Home Park but that will be little consolation for manager Holloway, 44 on Monday, who had hoped to lead the Devon club back into the semi-finals.

Watford were made to fight hard for the victory but scrapped well and made the long trip home with smiles on their faces.

Bouazza's goal ensured a repeat scoreline of 1984 when these teams met in the semi-final at Villa Park, George Reilly settling the issue.

Bouazza may like to note that Reilly needed more than 50 stitches in an ear when a grudge-bearing Argyle fan attacked him 19 years later.

Plymouth, however, wasted their best chance of revenge. They had no shortage of chances but will look back on an evening of wasteful finishing.

Watford's Danny Shittu was defiant in the centre of defence for the visitors and goalkeeper Ben Foster produced a string of saves, culminating in an incredible reflex effort to prevent Damien Francis deflecting a cross into his own net.

Plymouth, the last FA Cup survivors from the Football League, had tried to cook up some West Country magic.

A giant pasty, baked for the occasion and carried from the players' tunnel on a stretcher, was placed behind the goal at the Devonport End before kick-off.

It was a re-enactment of a ceremony, 77 years ago when Argyle played Watford on the last match of their promotion season from the old Division Three, but pasty-power was nowhere to be seen as the visitors seized the initiative.

Tommy Smith rolled a corner short, into the feet of striker Steve Kabba, who was given time to turn and find Bouazza, lurking unmarked on the edge of the box.

Bouazza met the pass with a thunderous left-footed drive which flashed past the head of Argyle goalkeeper Luke McCormick and into the roof of the net.

The goal was the first real action of a subdued opening passage, with both teams nervy and prone to errors, and it seemed to help Holloway's players shed their inhibitions.

Argyle suddenly found their rhythm and steamed forward, creating a string of chances as Watford were temporarily reduced to 10-men, with Jay DeMerit off for treatment.

Outstanding Shittu threw himself in the path of a shot from on-loan Chelsea teenager Scott Sinclair, Adrian Mariappa headed clear from under his own bar and Lilian Nalis lifted a volley over the top.

England keeper Foster flew to his left to tip a Kevin Gallen free-kick around the post and then stuck out a left boot to deny Sylvain Ebanks-Blake, clean through on the left.

Blake and Dan Gosling then managed to obstruct each other in the goalmouth when Paul Connolly's low right-wing cross was begging to be tapped over the line.

Holloway, a former Bristol Rovers team-mate of his opposite number Boothroyd, sent on experienced marksman Barry Hayles at half-time in search of the elusive goal.

Former Fulham striker Hayles immediately forced his way past DeMerit and tried to lob Foster but was unable to clear the big keeper.

David Norris lashed a good chance over the bar and Gallen saw another effort deflected agonisingly wide. Winger Sinclair, 17, started to enjoy more time and space to run at defenders and Boothroyd sent James Chambers on to try and shackle him.

Chambers did his job but Watford still had more work to do. Foster, booked for time-wasting with more than half an hour still on the clock, made that brilliant save to stop a Francis own-goal. Watford survived the assault.

They were back in control of the game by the time the final whistle sounded. Despite not playing well, they take their place in today's semi-final draw and enjoyed their celebrations.

Honorary president Sir Elton John, who plays a concert at Home Park in May — seven days after the FA Cup Final — was in tears when the Hornets lost to Everton in the 1984 final. Now he can dream of Wembley again.

Boothroyd said: We had to ride our luck at times but the Cup has been kind to us and the Premier League hasn't.'

Of Foster's contribution, he added: To be injured and come back and play as well as he did shows the mark of a top-class keeper. I believe he is going to be the world's best. He kept us in the game tonight.

It means we've kept going after taking a lot of knocks this year. The fans kept singing, the club kept buoyant and the FA Cup has helped us keep our season alive.

To be in the semi-finals is a massive achievement for this club and we have to make sure it galvanises our League form.'

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in