FOOTBALL is a game of two halves as they say, and the match was no different this afternoon at Vicarage Road.
Watford and Leicester, separated at the start by only one league place, were evenly matched in the clash where they were forced to spilt the spoils at full-time.
In front of nearly 15,000 fans, the two teams entertained from start to finish, with returning Hornet Heidar Helguson scoring two goals in his debut for the club this season.
Two goals in the first half from Matty Fryatt put the Foxes in front but the Hornets replied with two from the Icelandic striker and one from Danny Graham. In the dying minutes of the game Dany N'Guessan levelled the score for the visitors.
Malky Mackay made only one change to his side from their two consecutive wins recently, bringing new loan signing Craig Cathcart into defence to replace Dale Bennett who took his place on the bench.
Also on the bench this afternoon was Helguson.
Lloyd Doyley made his 200th league start for the Hornets while Adrian Mariappa captained the side, with Jay DeMerit still missing through an eye infection.
John Eustace continued to add experience in midfield, while loanees Tom Cleverley and Henri Lansbury maintained their roles in the team.
In front of a vocal and lively Vicarage Road, Cleverley kicked off the game with a strike from just outside the area which unluckily flew over the bar.
There was some great early passing play from Doyley and Cleverley knocking the ball back and forth, the Hornets showed that Mackay's emphasis on teamwork had clearly paid off.
Leicester's first chance for glory came on 14 minutes when Steve Howard's strike sailed goalwards, but captain Mariappa was on hand to make a tremendous and vital block.
Minutes afterwards another shot was cleared again by Mariappa as the Watford defence were made to work by the visitors.
With 20 minutes gone and against the run of play, Watford gave away a penalty when Eustace conceded a hand-ball in the Leicester penalty box.
Foxes top scorer Fryatt took the spot kick powerfully and goalkeeper Scott Loach couldn't do anything as the ball flew under him and into the back of the net as the Foxes went ahead.
This gave Leicester the confidence to take the ball forward minutes later but Fryatt's effort rolled into Loach's arms.
Young defender Lee Hodson continued to work his socks off for the Golden Boys and he showed his maturity and quality to the Vicarage road faithful.
With 24 minutes on the clock, Bruno Berner fouled Ross Jenkins outside the area but Cleverley's chance went straight into the hands of Leicester goalkeeper Chris Weale.
The action was up the other end again when Fryatt continued his onslaught on goal but again the Watford skipper was there to clear the effort away.
The Leicestershire outfit seemed comfortable in their lead over the Hornets and as the minutes of the first half slipped away, it felt that the visitors were going to ruin Watford's party in Hertfordshire this afternoon.
On 32 minutes, Don Cowie stormed through the Leicester defence but Lansbury was unable to control the ball from his teammate in enough time and the Foxes intervened.
A second Leicester booking was made in the 37th minute against Andy King for his pulling of Cleverley's shirt but the Hornets' free kick came to nothing.
With five minutes to go until half time, Fryatt was on fire as he weaved up the left-hand side of the field and went around Manchester United loanee Craig Cathcart to blast the ball past Loach and into the back of the net to put the visitors two goals up.
Watford looked deflated as they headed for the dressing room at half time, two goals down to their visitors.
Former Hornet Helguson was back on Vicarage Road turf as he entered the field for the second half, replacing Arsenal loanee Lansbury.
The Icelandic international was quick to make an impression as with only a minute on the clock, he picked up a cross from Graham and was centimetres away from getting his foot to the ball and sending it to the back of the net.
The Hornets' seemed a rejuvenated bunch and the loud Vicarage Road crowd got behind the boys as they battled on the pitch.
But true to the style that Leicester had brought to Watford this afternoon, the visitors were back up the other end, with Howard's close range header producing a near miss on Loach's goal.
Cleverley's corner on 49 minutes was punched away by Weale as the ball stayed with Watford in the area, Doyley's corner sailed into a great position in the box but it was congested and the Watford boys struggled to find the space to strike with Cowie's effort blocked by Jack Hobbs.
The home side's pressure come to and end after Mariappa decided to take things into his own hands and blast the ball from way outside the area. The effort from the academy graduate cleared the bar.
On 58 minutes Eustace crossed the ball in from the right and Helguson picked up the ball, but the new recruit couldn't manage the finish and they ball came to Watford's striker Graham who trickled the ball into the net to get one back for the Golden Boys.
Two minutes later, following a cross from Hodson, Helguson got what he wanted on his return to The Vic and erupted the Yellow Army to a deafening pitch with his goal.
Leicester replied with some pressure and Loach was called on to make a vital save, tipping the ball over the bar to save his team from conceding.
The crowd were on their feet as a free kick was given to the Hornets from a tackle from the already booked Berner on Cleverley that was clearly inside the penalty box.
Scotsman Cowie took the set piece but his shot sailed over the bar and the two teams remained on level terms.
Helguson sent the home fans into delirium and made it 3-2 on 77 minutes as he took a left-sided delivery from Hodson and sent it home to the back of the net.
The Icelandic man had to be substituted on 81 minutes when he took a knock to his calf and the striker was replaced by Nathan Elllington.
The Hornets were not going to settle for the one goal lead as they pushed up the field. Eustace's cross went into the area but the effort could only chip some paint off the woodwork of Weale's goal.
It seemed that the visitors were also not in the mood to settle as they planted one in the back of the net making the score level at Vicarage Road again. Over two thousand Leicester fans celebrated as substitute Dany N'Guessan put the Foxes level again on 91 minutes.
In the dying minutes of the match, Ellington went for glory but his powerful strike could only make it into the Rookery Stand crowd.
As the whistle blew on a breath-taking and heart-stopping match at Vicarage Road, the crowd rose to their feet thanking the players for an afternoon of great entertainment.
It was only a pity that the home crowd wouldn't be celebrating what would have been a well deserved third consecutive victory for the Golden Boys.
WATFORD: Loach (gk); Hodson, Cathcart, Mariappa (c), Doyley; Cleverley (Harley 85), Jenkins, Eustace, Cowie; Lansbury (Helguson 45) (Ellington 81), Graham. Subs not used: Lee (gk), Bryan, Bennett, Hoskins.
LEICESTER CITY: Weale (gk); Neilson, Brown, Hobbs, Berner; Oakley, King, Wellens (Adams 54), Gallagher (N'Guessan 72); Howard, Fryatt (Waghorn 72). Subs not used: Logan (gk), Tunchen, Kermorgant, McGivern.
GOALS: WATFORD; Graham (58), Helguson (60, 77). LEICESTER CITY; Fryatt (20 pen, 40), (N'Guessan 90+1)
BOOKINGS: WATFORD; none.LEICESTER CITY; Berner (24), King (37)
SENDING OFFS: WATFORD; none. LEICESTER CITY; none
ATTENDANCE: 14,647 (away 2,243)
