A New Year’s Day thriller saw Plymouth Argyle and Watford take a point apiece in horrible conditions in South Devon.

The heavens opened at Home Park and it also rained goals – six in total, and in truth, both sides could have scored more in a truly end-to-end contest.

Edo Kayembe was first on target but the Hornets’ early lead was overturned by Finn Azaz and Morgan Whittaker, before an Ismaël Koné strike levelled the scores.

Ryan Hardie put the Pilgrims in control before the break, only for Ryan Andrews to peg them back after the interval in what proved to be the game’s final goal despite a host of opportunities.

Having drawn against Stoke City on Friday night, Valérien Ismaël opted for three changes to his starting XI. Andrews, Kayembe and Mileta Rajović replaced Tom Dele-Bashiru, Yáser Asprilla and the suspended Vakoun Bayo.

There was an instant impact from Kayembe, who opened the scoring with little more than 10 minutes on the clock, picking out the bottom corner after fine work out wide from Matheus Martins.

It was a fourth goal in 11 games for midfielder Kayembe, who will now depart to AFCON with DR Congo.

Plymouth threatened twice in quick succession with Hardie firing a shot against the post and Whittaker seeing a shot saved by Ben Hamer, but the equaliser was just moments away.

Azaz nestled the ball into the corner of the net with an exquisite side-footed volley from distance, levelling the scores with 20 minutes played.

The hosts found themselves ahead just before the half-hour mark, Whittaker finishing a quick breakaway move with a fine shot across goal and into the top corner.

Not deterred, the Hornets keep plugging away and it was 2-2 on 38 minutes, Koné playing a one-two with Giorgi Chakvetadze before firing superbly into the top corner with his third goal of the season.

Half-time was looming but there was still time for another goal and it fell for Plymouth, with Hardie beating Hamer at his near post to hand the hosts a restored lead going into the break.

There was a similarly quick beginning to second-half proceedings with Rajović and Whittaker going close at opposite ends, then James Morris seeing a deflected strike wrong-foot goalkeeper Conor Hazard, who then recovered to save excellently.

Andrews had been a constant menace down the Hornets’ right-hand side and the homegrown full-back popped up in the box just before the hour, controlling a lovely Jake Livermore pass over the top and dinking over Hazard to restore parity once more.

There were no further goals in the final half-hour, however Watford had Hamer to thank on several occasions; the keeper denying free-kicks from Whittaker and Azaz as well as a stoppage-time effort from the former.

After a chaotic start to 2024, Watford’s attention now turns to the Emirates FA Cup and Chesterfield’s trip to Vicarage Road on Saturday for the annual Graham Taylor Matchday (January 6, 3pm KO).