Tuesday 27 December 2016 00:09, UK
Sam Allardyce was denied victory in his first match as Crystal Palace manager after Troy Deeney's penalty earned Watford a 1-1 draw.
The former England manager succeeded in coaxing an improved performance from some of the players whose poor form had contributed to predecessor Alan Pardew being sacked, and they were on course to win as he resumed his Premier League career at the same ground he oversaw his last match with Sunderland.
Yohan Cabaye's first-half finish had given Palace the lead as they pursued only a fifth league win of the season, but the penalty that ended substitute Deeney's long wait for his 100th Watford goal delivered a reminder to Allardyce of the relegation battle which lies ahead.
It could all have been very different if Christian Benteke had converted a first-half penalty, but his weak effort was comfortably saved by Hornets goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes.
But Palace needlessly allowed their hosts to pull level when, from a routine 70th-minute corner, Damien Delaney clumsily brought down Prodl to leave referee Mark Clattenburg with little choice but to award the game's second penalty.
Deeney, who had gone his past 10 games without a goal and who unexpectedly had been left out of Walter Mazzarri's starting XI, then powerfully struck straight down the middle and beyond Wayne Hennessey who had dived to his left.
An increasingly scrappy second half ensured neither team could find a winning goal, leaving Palace with a record of one win in 11, and Watford with two in eight.
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