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Gow grabs dramatic winner

Image: Gow: Dramatic winner

Alan Gow scored a dramatic late winner as Blackpool came from behind three times to beat Watford 4-3.

Blackpool come back three times before nicking points

Alan Gow scored a dramatic late winner as Blackpool came from behind three times before recording a 4-3 win at Watford. Will Hoskins, Grzegorz Rasiak and Tommy Smith from the penalty spot all put Watford in front at various stages of a thrilling game. Blackpool pulled level on each occasion through Keith Southern, Ben Burgess and Gary Taylor-Fletcher before Gow stole the points in injury-time. The home side came flying out of the traps and made the perfect start when Rasiak's neat backheel sent Hoskins through and he fired in a superb strike from the edge of the box to put them in front. Blackpool reacted well and Gow's cross found Taylor-Fletcher but his shot was parried away by Richard Lee. Moments later Hoskins came close to doubling Watford's lead after he was played in by Tommy Smith, but his shot cannoned agonisingly off the post with Paul Rachubka well beaten. The visitors poured forward in search of an equaliser and made the pressure tell in the 18th minute when Claus Jorgensen's free-kick hit the wall and fell to Southern who fired in an unstoppable shot that gave Lee no chance. However all Blackpool's hard work was undone 10 minutes from the break when Jon Harley's superb free-kick from the right found Rasiak in acres of space to head in from close range.

Ominous intent

Blackpool began the second half with ominous intent and Gow turned well inside the box but his shot went straight at Lee. With 56 minutes gone Gow was challenged by Jay DeMerit on the edge of the area, but the ball broke to Burgess whose attempted chip wrong-footed Lee. Watford immediately went in search of the lead once again and Hoskins broke into the box but could only send the shot straight at Rachubka. Just as in the first half, Blackpool shot themselves in the foot when Burgess bundled over John Eustace and Tommy Smith stroked home the penalty to put Watford back in front. The home side tried to put the game out of Blackpool's reach as Hoskins had a shot saved by Rachubka. To their credit Blackpool never gave up and got their rewards four minutes from time when Taylor-Fletcher finished coolly from close range. That goal sent the travelling Blackpool fans into raptures and they could hardly believe their eyes when Gow broke into the box and sealed a dramatic win in injury-time.

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