Transplanted Huckerby takes root with Forest

Watford 1 Nottingham Forest 1

The Michael Dawson header which thudded against the bar deep into injury time was stark indication of how close Watford came to losing this match. Instead, they could take heart from a point, a fighting display and a boost of confidence in advance of next Sunday's FA Cup quarter-final against Burnley on this same Vicarage Road pitch.

The result maintained Forest's recent fine run, now stretching to seven without defeat, and they will be gratified at the smoothness of the change-over up front, where the loss of 22-goal David Johnson for six weeks with knee ligament damage was neatly balanced by the arrival of Darren Huckerby on loan from Manchester City. Huckerby claimed 26 for City last season and was briskly off the mark for his new club yesterday with 66 minutes gone, shooting high into the net after Alec Chamberlain repelled a vicious effort by Marlon Harewood.

From that moment on, Forest assumed elegant control, but until then Watford's tactics had warranted their 13th-minute lead. "My instructions were to get amongst 'em," said Watford manager Ray Lewington. And his players certainly did.

They marked tight, chased after every ball and generally succeeded in preventing Forest from playing the football which had ripped apart Stoke the previous week. Forest manager Paul Hart criticised his team for sloppy play in the opening half, but they were simply shaken by Watford's zest, which spilled over enough for them to collect four bookings.

Those tactics had earned Watford the points at Nottingham last September and they looked likely to bring more success, particularly when they went in front. Jamie Hand crossed to the far post and Heidar Helguson headed in without too much interference from Forest's defence. That certainly merited the Hart condemnation of "sloppy", but towards the interval Forest's revival was under way.

It was led, in the main, by Andy Reid, whose dancing darts down the left stirred memories of John Robertson. Reid is certainly quicker than Robertson ever was, but his distribution needs work.

Watford had a let-off right on half-time. A long clearance struck Marcus Gayle on the back of the head as he retreated towards his own area and dropped to Huckerby. With Chamberlain stranded, Huckerby's hoofed effort bounced tantalisingly wide of an empty goal.

The effort Watford had put into that first 45 minutes soon began to tell in the second session. Paul Robinson was slow to react when John Thompson's long ball dropped over his head, sending Harewood haring into the penalty area. The man who had scored four in the first half a week ago was bang on target again, but Chamberlain was equal to it. Watford were perhaps unlucky that the rebound fell so conveniently for Huckerby to slam in, but after that the luck generally went their way as Forest turned on the style.

The Harewood-Huckerby combination could have had another but for Chamberlain's alert work – he repelled a stream of shots and headers as his defence crumbled. Reid almost had the final flourish with a corner to the far post for the gangly Dawson to soar and propel hard against the woodwork. But Watford were worth their point for effort.

Watford 1
Helguson 13

Nottingham Forest 1
Huckerby 66

Half-time: 1-0 Attendance: 17,934