ON a balmy afternoon at Vicarage Road, Watford and Blackpool shared the honours as they battled out an entertaining score draw.

Don Cowie returned to the starting line-up for the 'Orns in the place of the injured Jobi McAnuff, while there was a space on the bench for new loan signing Henri Lansbury.

Ian Holloway brought his Blackpool side to WD18 looking to pick up their first league victory of the season.

An early chance in the sixth minute saw the returning Cowie nearly slip Tommy Smith through on goal, but his turn was thwarted by an unfortunate slip on the lush Vicarage Road surface.

A decent cross from Blackpool full back Stephen Crainey in the ninth minute was nodded away by Lloyd Doyley at the far post, as both teams tried to make an early mark on the match.

After 13 minutes, a clever passage of play between Cowie and Danny Graham almost saw the Scotsman through on goal, only for the slide pass to be intercepted by Blackpool's Alex Baptiste.

Blackpool's front pairing of Jason Euell and Jay Emanuel-Thomas were causing early problems for the Watford rear line, but were restricted to shooting from distance.

On the quarter hour mark, Cowie cleverly slipped through a ball to Graham who turned sharply, but his shot was deflected inches wide by a Blackpool defender. 
 
The resulting corner was aimed at Mike Williamson at the far post, but his header was eventually cleared and the pressure was momentarily off Blackpool.

The impressive Tom Cleverley was showing his capabilities in midfield, and his sublime cross field ball that was intended for Cowie was given offside.

Five minutes later, an Adrian Mariappa throw was flicked on by Williamson, finding Smith who executed an overhead kick that went well wide.

The opening goal came after 24 minutes. A beautifully weighted ball from Graham, after battling well to win the ball, was slid through to Smith who calmly slotted the ball under the keeper from 15 yards.

Blackpool players surrounded the referee as they felt there was an infringement before the goal, but the man in black waved them away, much to the delight of the Vicarage Road faithful.

On 29 minutes, a delicate chip across the edge of the penalty area by 'Pool's Gary Taylor-Fletcher was chested down and volleyed just over by David Vaughan.

Blackpool were being well marshalled by the Watford backline and were getting no clear sights on goal.

Thirty-five minutes in and Watford came under pressure again. A long ball from midfield saw Emanuel-Thomas in behind the Watford defence, but a superbly timed toe poke by Jay DeMerit saw the ball go out for a corner and allowed the Hornets to regroup.

Watford came under pressure around the 40 minute mark as Blackpool won three consecutive corners, which ended when ex-Rangers man Charlie Adam volleyed high over the bar, much to Watford's relief.

Two minutes before the break, a great passing move started by Williamson winning the ball in midfield, finished with Cowie shooting high and wide from Smith's cut back.

The last action of the half was a cross to the edge of the area by Smith which fell kindly to Ross Jenkins, whose powerful volley was deflected wide for a Watford corner.

Ten minutes after the break, a well weighted touch inside by Smith saw Cowie with the ball at his feet 20 yards from goal and with the keeper off his line.

Cowie went for the sublime, and saw his chip come bouncing back off the crossbar.

A minute later Smith again found Graham, but his shot could only find the hands of Blackpool keeper Paul Rachubka.

In the same minute Blackpool had a penalty appeal turned down, after the ball appeared to hit Jenkins' arm.

On 55 minutes a well aimed corner found Euell who headed straight at Loach. His parry though was not strong enough, and the ball landed in the right hand side of the net with Baptiste claiming the all-important strike.

Blackpool were now starting to make an impact on the game and were having much of the possession.

Some neat build-up play saw Vaughan through on goal, but he dragged his shot wide of Loach's far post.

Blackpool's time on level terms was short lived, after Smith ran onto a flick by Graham to cross low and hard to the back post, where Cleverley was ready and waiting to poke the ball in the back of the net on his home debut. That made it two goals in two games for the Manchester United loanee.
 
On 67 minutes, a stinging drive from Charlie Adam flew past Loach's far post. Watford responded with a breakaway attack which again culminated with Smith beating his man, only for the resulting cross to be cleared.

Two minutes later a cross from the left wing to the edge of the box saw an impressive scissor kick from Taylor-Fletcher, but it was never likely to trouble Loach.

Moments later Blackpool again got themselves level, when some slack defending allowed Charlie Adam to hit a fierce ball across the goal, leaving Taylor-Fletcher with the simplest of tasks in tapping the ball home.

Southern was in the book after 79 minutes after a late challenge on full back Doyley.

Blackpool were beginning to get on top of the game and had a few decent chances, where as the Hornets couldn't seem to make the ball stick at the other end of the pitch.

A corner well won by Williamson was drilled in by Cleverley, but substitute John Eustace's header flew just wide of the post.

More pressure from Blackpool resulted in a perfect cross from Adam, but fortunately nobody was at the far post to nod it in.

Debutant Cleverley was substituted for fellow first-timer Henri Lansbury after 88 minutes; with the Manchester United youngster getting a standing ovation for his industrious display.

In stoppage time Eustace hit the ball cleanly at goal, but it hit the bar, and Lansbury's attempt to bury the rebound went over the bar.

WATFORD: Loach; Mariappa, Williamson, Demerit (c), Doyley; Cleverley (Lansbury 89), Jenkins, Severin (Eustace 63), Cowie (Harley 84); Smith, Graham. Subs not used; Sordell, Lee (c), Hoskins, Hodson.

BLACKPOOL: Rachubka; Eardley, Evatt, Baptiste, Crainey; Adam, Southern, Vaughan, Taylor-Fletcher (Ormerod 90); Euell (c) (Burgess 75), Emmanuel-Thomas (Clarke 90). Subs not used; Bangura, Gilks (gk), Edwards, Demontagnac.

BOOKINGS: WATFORD; none. BLACKPOOL; Eardley (dissent 58), Evatt (professional foul 73), Southern (78 professional foul),

SENDINGS OFF: WATFORD; none. BLACKPOOL: none.

SCORERS: WATFORD; Smith (25), Cleverley (62), BLACKPOOL; Baptiste (55), Taylor-Fletcher (72).

REFEREE: Mr D Deadman.

ATTENDANCE: 12,745 (670 away supporters).