Plymouth 0 Watford 1:Ian Holloway is not the type of character to dwell on a hard-luck story but when the Plymouth Argyle manager awakes this morning he could be forgiven for spending much of his 44th birthday wondering quite how his courageous Championship players failed to reach the FA Cup semi-finals.
This outcome was a gross injustice, with Argyle, after a languid start, dominating their Premiership opponents only to suffer a cruel and chastening defeat.
That lacklustre opening proved crucial, with Hameur Bouazza scoring the only goal of a breathless, intoxicating contest during that period, forcing Argyle to chase the game. They did so with an extraordinary sense of belief, creating myriad openings only to succumb through the absence of a cutting edge and an inspired performance from Ben Foster.
Given their toils in the Premiership and the prospect of Championship football next term, Watford could become only the fifth team, after Manchester City (1926), Leicester City (1969), Brighton (1983) and Middlesbrough (1997), to reach the FA Cup final and suffer relegation in the same season. It offers Aidy Boothroyd's side a possible silver lining, something his Argyle counterpart will struggle to find.
This was an occasion that evoked memories of 23 years ago when the two clubs met in the FA Cup semi-finals at Villa Park. Watford, two divisions higher than Argyle, had prevailed on that occasion, with George Reilly's goal taking the club to the final for the only time in their history. Those home fans craved revenge.
Holloway's ebullient pre-match rhetoric offered more encouragement. "I want Plymouth to go totally green for the day," wrote the Plymouth manager in his local newspaper column. His wish was granted, with three-quarters of this ground draped in club colours and creating a raucous din.
But Argyle appeared to be overawed in the early exchanges. Watford's familiar high-tempo approach yielded the only goal on 21 minutes.
Tommy Smith played a short corner to the unmarked Steven Kabba. The striker had time to turn before setting up Bouazza who unleashed a superb 20-yard shot over Luke McCormick's head and into the roof of the net.
Plymouth's response was to attack with gusto and Watford spent the time between Bouazza's strike and the interval pinned back and defending for their lives. The visitors' goal was living a charmed life, with Foster and Danny Shittu combining to prevent parity at the interval.
Foster superbly tipped Kevin Gallen's 25-yard curling free-kick around the post in the 32nd minute, repelled David Norris's shot moments later and then denied Sylvan Ebanks-Blake when the forward rampaged clear on the left. Shittu also came to the rescue, the defender blocking Scott Sinclair's effort, having already thwarted Lilian Nalis in similar style.
And there was no let up after the restart. Substitute Barry Hayles wriggled clear of Jay DeMerit only for Foster to read his intentions to lob. Watford could not gain a foothold, their bright opening to this encounter apparently an aberration. Back came Argyle again, Norris snatched at his shot after Ebanks-Blake had provide an adroit assist before Sinclair drilled a 30-yard free-kick narrowly wide. Gallen saw his shot deflected past a post and Krisztian Timar nodding wide from close in. Finally Nallis heading towards the top corner only for Foster to stretch every sinew to turn the ball behind.
Guardian Service
