Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic snatches draw from Watford visit in fast and furious contest

Fulham 1-1 Watford: Aleksandar Mitrovic’s late close-range finish won the hosts a point after Andre Gray had stunned Craven Cottage with a goal inside two minutes

(Getty Images)

Aleksandar Mitrovic scored his fifth goal of the season as Fulham grabbed a point against high-flying Watford.

The Hornets should have been out of sight by half-time but had only Andre Gray’s early strike to show for a dominant first 45 minutes. Yet in the end Watford, looking for a fifth win in six matches to maintain their best ever start to a top-flight season, were grateful for a point after Mitrovic tapped in an equaliser and then hit the crossbar.

Earlier Gray had grabbed his third goal of the campaign with less than a minute and a half on the clock as Fulham’s jitters at the back cost them again.

Fulham already had the worst defensive record in the division at kick-off, having leaked 12 goals in their previous five matches. It was easy to see why as number 13 arrived before many had even taken their seats at a wet and windy Craven Cottage.

The hosts made heavy weather of dealing with a fairly innocuous throw-in and Will Hughes smuggled the loose ball to Gray. The former Brentford and Burnley frontman took the ball in his stride before lashing it low across Marcus Bettinelli and into the corner of the net.

Fulham, playing their 500th Premier League match, should have been level when Andre Schurrle sent Luciano Vietto through on goal. The Argentine forward held off Daryl Janmaat but shot straight at the chest of Ben Foster and then curled the rebound wide.

Andre Gray opens the scoring for Watford (AFP/Getty Images)

Yet for all Fulham’s attacking verve, the lapses at the back were still very much in evidence. Manager Slavisa Jokanovic knows Troy Deeney all too well, Watford’s battering ram striker having hit 21 goals in their promotion season of 2014/15.

Jokanovic was in charge of the Hornets then but never got to take charge in the Premier League, leaving after failing to agree a new contract. Instead he moved to the banks of the Thames and got his shot at the top flight via last season’s Championship play-offs.

Presumably the Serbian would have warned his defence about Deeney, yet they were utterly unnerved by the 30-year-old’s constant harrying and hassling. Perhaps it was Deeney’s presence which left Christian Kabasele with a free header from a corner which was only kept out by the back of Ryan Sessegnon.

Watford celebrate their early strike (AFP/Getty Images)

Then Alfie Mawson almost gifted Watford a second with a header towards his own goal which fell straight to the lurking Gray, only for Bettinelli to pull off a fine save from close range. Mawson risked giving away a penalty when he slid in on Hughes in the area, but referee Martin Atkinson waved away the appeals and took the same view when Mitrovic hit the deck at the other end moments later.

Mawson was put out of his misery at half-time, replaced by Denis Odoi, while captain Kevin McDonald was also swapped for Floyd Ayite as Jokanovic attempted to turn the tide.

They were almost immediately on level terms when Schurrle escaped down the right and crossed for Mitrovic, who climbed above Craig Cathcart but planted his header over the crossbar. Sessegnon was in a better position when he realised when the ball fell to him from a corner, the youngster passing back to no one when a turn and shot would surely have brought an equaliser.

Aleksandar Mitrovic grabbed the crucial equaliser (Getty Images)

Nevertheless the goal was always coming and it duly arrived with 12 minutes remaining. Schurrle’s shot deflected into the path of Vietto and Mitrovic nipped in between Cathcart and Kabasele to tap the ball in.

And Mitrovic almost won it in the last minute only to see his header crash back off the crossbar.

Fulham: Bettinelli 6, Fosu-Mensah 6, Mawson 4 (Odoi, 46, 5), Chambers 6, Sessegnon 5, Seri 6, McDonald 5 (Ayite, 46, 6), Johansen 6 (Anguissa 64, 5),Schurrle 7, Mitrovic 7, Vietto 6.

Subs not used: Rico, Le Marchand, Christie, Kamara.

Watford: Foster 7, Janmaat 6, Cathcart 6, Kabasele 6, Holebas 6, Hughes 6 (Feminia, 69), Doucoure 7, Capoue 6, Pereyra 5 (Sema 89, 5), Deeney 7, Gray 7 (Success, 80, 5).

Subs not used: Gomes, Mariappa, Masina, Sema, Chalobah.