Argyle 2
Gallagher pen 35, 73

Watford 1
Smith 61

CHEERS, Paul Gallagher. The Rover's return of four goals in three games - Argyle's last four goals - has considerably eased the Pilgrims' relegation concerns.

After a winner on Saturday, and a crucial goal in a 2-2 draw in Argyle's previous home game, the Blackburn player notched his tenth and 11th strikes of the season to earn a second successive three points.

Gallagher opened the scoring towards the end of an Argyle-dominated first half, slotting home a penalty - the second in successive games against the Hornets.

It should have been more. Ashley Barnes, making his full home debut, twice hit the crossbar at the Barn Park end with the game goalless.

However, defensive frailty from a side that had kept the Championship's top-scorers at bay on their own turf for more than 93 minutes in their previous game, allowed substitute Tommy Smith to equalise on the hour.

They were level for just 12 minutes, Gallagher showing the knack he has for being in the right place at the right time to fire home.

Argyle had made just one change from the side that toppled Championship leaders Wolves 1-0 at the weekend, with wide midfielder Alan Judge coming in as a like-for-like replacement for Chris Clark.

That meant a first home start for teenage striker Barnes, whose surprise inclusion at Molineux had brought a further refreshing injection of youth to the Pilgrims.

Watford, on the other hand, had transplanted five of the side that continued their resurgence under Brendan Rodgers by beating Crystal Palace 2-0, possibly with an eye to the heavy Home Park surface and equally heavy fixtures' schedule.

Centre-back and captain Jay DeMerit was the only one to miss out through injury, and in-form Hungarian Tamás Priskin would probably have returned from suspension to dislodge Grzegorz Rasiak in any event.

However, Jack Cork, Smith and Jobi McAnuff - all comparative lightweights - went the way of the rainwater.

Argyle had two early scares, both from attacks that developed down their left-hand side, but Jon Harley and Will Hoskins, two of the players called in to the starting 11, could not find the finish to match the space they had discovered.

After that, the game settled in to what might be called a midfield dominated stalemate, although the pitch, which had been covered until nearly an hour before kick-off, did not appear to be a contributory factor.

Thoughts were beginning to wander on to less weightier matters, such as why Romain Larrieu was wearing his 2001-02 Third Division-winning top, when Barnes shook everyone out of their reverie.

The 19-year-old unleashed a powerful left-foot shot, having first dragged Karl Duguid's pass back with his right to create the space, and beat Watford goalkeeper Scott Loach all ends up.

However, the ball clattered against the underside of the crossbar and bounced out. Not, by a long chalk, the first time in recent weeks the woodwork had worked against the Pilgrims.

Within five minutes, Barnes was denied again by the same piece of timber, this time after a twisting header from Gallagher's free-kick.

Watford were feeling the heat. Mike Williamson, who had been booked in the third minute, was lucky to remain on the field after subsequently clattering through the back of Gallagher.

Referee Nigel Miller, though, failed to deliver the coup de rouge after waiting a full three minutes for the ball to go dead so he could reprimand the former Torquay United centre-back.

Fuelled perhaps, by a sense of injustice, the Pilgrims pressed on and reaped their reward when Judge stuck his head down and ran full pelt into the Watford penalty area. Gavin Hoyte's challenge was poorly timed and left Miller with no choice but to point to the penalty spot.

With Luke Summerfield, the taker - and scorer - of the Pilgrims' only other two penalties this season, absent, Gallagher grabbed the ball, placed it on the spot, and waited with his back to the goal for the official's whistle.

On hearing it, he turned, took four or five paces, and smashed the ball past Loach. It is a good job the Watford goalkeeper dived, otherwise he might have been severely hurt.

Watford continued to unravel, with coach Malky Mackay being sent from what has become an unhappy away dug-out in recent seasons, and another goal before the interval would surely have killed off the visitors altogether.

However, despite continuing to be given the runaround by the Pilgrims, they managed to hang on for the break, executing a Plan B that appeared to be to kick Gallagher at every opportunity. That Miller allowed them to do so did not reflect well on the official.

Watford brought on 13-goal top-scorer Smith for Will Hoskins at the break, and began the second 45 minutes with a purpose that was largely repelled by the Pilgrims' pressing.

There were scares. Lee Williamson nearly repeated his free-kick strike in the same fixture last season after Carl Fletcher had fouled him just outside the penalty area, and Priskin wriggled his way free to squeeze out a shot that tested Larrieu low on his near post.

For the second time in successive home games, the Pilgrims then contributed to their own downfall.

Craig Cathcart and Marcel Seip dithered in turn, allowing Smith to stride through, take the ball around Larrieu, and slide the ball home from an acute angle.

As the rain fell more and more heavily, so Argyle looked under the weather themselves. David Gray's impetuousity nearly allowed Smith a repeat of his leveller as the grip on the game was clearly with Watford.

The Pilgrims found the best way to relive the pressure - by scoring against the run of play. It was a goal scored in Devon, but made in Lancashire, with Gallagher's Blackburn team-mate, and fellow loan, Judge providing setting up the goal.

His low cross from the right was given a step-over by Jamie Mackie, and Gallagher ran on to the ball and placed in perfectly into the net with a coolness he cannot have been feeling.

Watford's response was to throw on beanPole Grzegorz Rasiakand to heck with finesse. Argyle steeled themselves for the onslaught and responded by throwing on Rory Fallon for man of the match Gallagher.

The rain worsened considerably, making simply keeping one's footing a hazard, and an Argyle defender, possibly Chris Barker, slipped while trying to clear a corner, requiring more late heroics from Larrieu to keep the ball out.

Rick Cowdery

Argyle (4-4-2): 1 Romain Larrieu; 33 David Gray, 22 Craig Cathcart, 19 Marcel Seip, 15 Chris Barker; 25 Jamie Mackie, 2 Karl Duguid (capt), 28 Carl Fletcher, 23 Alan Judge (6 Chris Clark 76); 11 Paul Gallagher (14 Rory Fallon 85), 24 Ashley Barnes. Substitutes (not used): 3 Jim Paterson, 5 Krisztián Timár, 17 Craig Noone.

Watford (4-4-2): 13 Scott Loach; 2 Gavin Hoyte, 23 Adrian Mariappa, 24 Mike Williamson, 12 Lloyd Doyley (capt); 7 Don Cowie (10 Grzegorz Rasiak 77), 35 Ross Jenkins, 14 Lee Williamson, 15 Jon Harley (29 Alex Cauna 74); 22 Will Hoskins (21 Tommy Smith half-time), 9 Tamás Priskin. Substitutes (not used): 4 Jack Cork, 16 Richard Lee (gk).

Booked: Mike Williamson 3.

Referee: Nigel Miller (County Durham).

Attendance: 9,529 (365 away).