Owen Garvan lifted some of the gloom at the Championship's bottom club as Crystal Palace edged a thriller.
The Irish midfielder scored two terrific goals after Darren Ambrose's first-half curler had provided a lead.
Watford hit back to lead 2-1 when Danny Graham latched on to Stephen McGinn's assist before Troy Deeney's backheel set up midfielder Jordon Mutch.
But Garvan fired Palace to their second win in 10 matches with two quick goals, the first laid on by Wilfried Zaha.
The three points was not enough to lift the home side off the bottom of the table, though, despite a home defeat for nearest rivals Preston. Fellow strugglers Bristol City face Swansea on Wednesday.
Palace's first real chance came after the second of two communication breakdowns between Watford defender Martin Taylor and his goalkeeper Scott Loach.
Pablo Counago took advantage of the uncertainty at the back for Watford, but when the chance fell to Ambrose he wasted it.
Ambrose made amends with an individual goal of rare brilliance from the edge of the area, curling an unstoppable shot past Loach and into the top corner.
The visitors almost drew level after 27 minutes when Palace failed to deal with a corner. McGinn's drive was kept out by goalkeeper Julian Speroni's legs and Graham screwed his follow-up shot wide.
The Hornets continued to press - Deeney should have done better with a free header from a corner which he planted wide, before Speroni ensured his side maintained their lead at the interval when he superbly blocked McGinn's point-blank volley.
The second half got off to a dramatic start when Graham applied the finishing flourish to a sweeping move. Not long afterwards, Mutch finished off another skilful move as the visitors swiftly moved from 1-0 behind to 2-1 in front.
However, Eagles manager George Burley threw on youngster Zaha and the winger made an immediate impact with the cut-back for Garvan to slam home the 57th-minute equaliser.
When the Hornets then failed to deal with a high ball into the box Garvan, from virtually the same spot, crashed in the winner.
Live text and stats
Tuesday, 9 November 2010
Npower Championship
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Crystal Palace
3-2
Watford
FT
(HT 1-0)
Ambrose 18
Garvan 56
Garvan 59
Graham 48
Mutch 52
Crystal Palace
01 Speroni
02 Clyne
03 Wright
05 McCarthy
06 Barrett (Davis 72)
07 Ambrose (N'Diaye 83)
08 Danns
10 Garvan
30 Marrow yellow card
09 Vaughan yellow card
32 Counago (Zaha 55)
Substitutes
35 Manns,
04 Davis,
15 Cadogan,
21 Djilali,
25 N'Diaye,
16 Zaha,
29 Obika
Watford
01 Loach
03 A Taylor
05 M Taylor
06 Mariappa
12 Doyley
04 Eustace
15 McGinn
18 Mutch
24 Whichelow (Buckley 61)
09 Deeney
10 Graham (Sordell 78)
Substitutes
13 Gilmartin,
02 Hodson,
17 Bennett,
08 Walker,
11 Buckley,
16 Bryan,
20 Sordell
Ref: PennAtt: 12,353
CRYSTAL PALACE
WATFORD
Possession
Crystal Palace49%
Watford51%
Attempts on target
Crystal Palace6
Watford15
Attempts off target
Crystal Palace2
Watford4
Corners
Crystal Palace5
Watford12
Fouls
Crystal Palace11
Watford10
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+4:09 The final whistle goes and the game is over.
90:00+2:40 Stephen McGinn challenges James Vaughan unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Owen Garvan.
90:00+2:08 Free kick awarded for a foul by Stephen McGinn on Neil Danns. Free kick taken by Owen Garvan.
90:00+1:15 Booking James Vaughan is given a yellow card.
90:00+0:46 Unfair challenge on Marvin Sordell by Owen Garvan results in a free kick. Scott Loach takes the free kick.
89:31 Foul by Neil Danns on Jordon Mutch, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Jordon Mutch.
88:51 Adrian Mariappa crosses the ball, Alassane N'Diaye makes a clearance.
87:01 James Vaughan takes a shot. Blocked by Lloyd Doyley.
84:16 The referee blows for offside. Scott Loach restarts play with the free kick.
82:42 Stephen McGinn takes a shot. Blocked by David Wright. Outswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Jordon Mutch. Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Jordon Mutch from the right by-line, clearance by James Vaughan. Short corner taken by Jordon Mutch.
82:42 Substitution Darren Ambrose goes off and Alassane N'Diaye comes on.
81:02 Free kick awarded for a foul by Alex Marrow on Jordon Mutch. Direct free kick taken by Jordon Mutch.
81:02 Booking Alex Marrow goes into the book for unsporting behaviour.
80:29 Jordon Mutch decides to take a short corner.
79:33 Foul by Alex Marrow on Will Buckley, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Jordon Mutch.
77:04 Substitution Marvin Sordell joins the action as a substitute, replacing Danny Graham.
75:14 Effort from the edge of the penalty box by Nathaniel Clyne goes wide of the right-hand upright.
74:03 The ball is delivered by Lloyd Doyley, clearance by Patrick McCarthy.
73:08 Corner from the left by-line taken by Darren Ambrose, save made by Scott Loach.
71:53 Substitution Claude Davis is brought on as a substitute for Adam Barrett.
69:16 Wilfried Zaha takes a shot. Save by Scott Loach. Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Darren Ambrose, free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Adrian Mariappa by Patrick McCarthy. Scott Loach takes the free kick.
68:27 Will Buckley produces a left-footed shot from just outside the box that goes wide left of the goal.
67:18 Foul by Adrian Mariappa on Wilfried Zaha, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Darren Ambrose.
65:39 Jordon Mutch takes a shot. Save by Julian Speroni.
65:25 A cross is delivered by Will Buckley, clearance made by Adam Barrett.
63:28 The ball is crossed by Andrew Taylor, save by Julian Speroni.
62:37 Foul by James Vaughan on Stephen McGinn, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Scott Loach.
Correction - 61:00 Substitution Will Buckley joins the action as a substitute, replacing Matthew Whichelow.
61:00 Andrew Taylor challenges Neil Danns unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Patrick McCarthy.
61:00 Substitution Will Buckley is brought on as a substitute for Matthew Whichelow.
58:28 GOAL - Owen Garvan:Crystal Palace 3 - 2 Watford Owen Garvan finds the back of the net with a goal from the edge of the area to the top left corner of the goal. Crystal Palace 3-2 Watford.
55:53 The assist for the goal came from Wilfried Zaha.
55:53 GOAL - Owen Garvan:Crystal Palace 2 - 2 Watford Owen Garvan scores a goal from the edge of the penalty area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Crystal Palace 2-2 Watford.
55:38 Wilfried Zaha crosses the ball, clearance by Adrian Mariappa.
55:00 Andrew Taylor challenges Neil Danns unfairly and gives away a free kick. Julian Speroni takes the direct free kick.
54:22 Substitution Wilfried Zaha is brought on as a substitute for Pablo Counago.
51:18 Assist on the goal came from Troy Deeney.
51:18 GOAL - Jordon Mutch:Crystal Palace 1 - 2 Watford Goal scored by Jordon Mutch from close range to the bottom right corner of the goal. Crystal Palace 1-2 Watford.
50:37 Free kick awarded for a foul by Jordon Mutch on Owen Garvan. Direct free kick taken by Nathaniel Clyne.
50:11 Outswinging corner taken by Darren Ambrose.
49:42 Unfair challenge on Adam Barrett by Troy Deeney results in a free kick. Darren Ambrose takes the free kick.
47:23 Stephen McGinn provided the assist for the goal.
47:23 GOAL - Danny Graham:Crystal Palace 1 - 1 Watford Danny Graham finds the back of the net with a goal from inside the six-yard box to the bottom left corner of the goal. Crystal Palace 1-1 Watford.
46:33 Header from deep inside the area by Martin Taylor goes over the bar.
45:54 Free kick awarded for a foul by Patrick McCarthy on Stephen McGinn. Andrew Taylor restarts play with the free kick.
45:01 The referee gets the second half underway.
Half Time
45:00+1:03 The half-time whistle blows.
44:35 Neil Danns takes a shot. Darren Ambrose takes a outswinging corner. Scott Loach makes a save.
41:12 Matthew Whichelow produces a cross, Stephen McGinn has an effort at goal from 6 yards. Save by Julian Speroni. Corner from right by-line taken by Jordon Mutch.
40:07 The referee blows for offside. Patrick McCarthy restarts play with the free kick.
38:37 Troy Deeney takes a shot. Save by Julian Speroni.
37:49 Jordon Mutch takes a shot. Blocked by Patrick McCarthy. Jordon Mutch decides to take a short corner.
35:40 Neil Danns crosses the ball, clearance made by Martin Taylor.
34:28 Short corner taken by Jordon Mutch.
33:51 Matthew Whichelow fouled by David Wright, the ref awards a free kick. Jordon Mutch takes the direct free kick.
33:05 A cross is delivered by Andrew Taylor, Patrick McCarthy manages to make a clearance.
31:13 Stephen McGinn takes a shot. Alex Marrow gets a block in.
29:47 Corner taken short by Jordon Mutch. Shot on goal by Adrian Mariappa from inside the box goes harmlessly over the target.
28:35 Free kick awarded for a foul by Lloyd Doyley on Owen Garvan. Julian Speroni takes the free kick.
23:29 Danny Graham takes a shot. Blocked by Patrick McCarthy. Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Lloyd Doyley by Patrick McCarthy. Direct effort from the free kick comes in from Jordon Mutch. Corner taken short by Jordon Mutch. Jordon Mutch takes a floated corner to the near post. Stephen McGinn takes a shot. Save by Julian Speroni. Close range effort by Danny Graham goes wide of the right-hand upright.
22:40 Martin Taylor is ruled offside. Free kick taken by Julian Speroni.
19:43 Troy Deeney decides to take the corner short, The ball is delivered by Andrew Taylor.
17:16 Troy Deeney takes a shot. Blocked by Darren Ambrose. James Vaughan provided the assist for the goal.
17:16 GOAL - Darren Ambrose:Crystal Palace 1 - 0 Watford Darren Ambrose grabs a goal from just outside the area to the top right corner of the goal. Crystal Palace 1-0 Watford.
15:33 Neil Danns produces a cross. Shot on goal by Neil Danns from just inside the area clears the crossbar.
14:33 Foul by James Vaughan on Adrian Mariappa, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Scott Loach.
10:30 Inswinging corner taken by Darren Ambrose, clearance by Andrew Taylor.
9:58 Lloyd Doyley sends in a cross, Patrick McCarthy makes a clearance. Andrew Taylor takes a shot. Julian Speroni makes a save.
5:59 Free kick awarded for a foul by Alex Marrow on Troy Deeney. Andrew Taylor takes the free kick.
4:40 Matthew Whichelow gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Owen Garvan. Direct free kick taken by Owen Garvan.
Correction - 2:39 John Eustace takes a shot. Save made by Julian Speroni. Troy Deeney takes a shot. Alex Marrow gets a block in. John Eustace decides to take a short corner.
2:39 John Eustace takes a shot. Save by Julian Speroni. Troy Deeney takes a shot. Blocked by Alex Marrow. John Eustace decides to take a short corner.
0:45 Troy Deeney concedes a free kick for a foul on David Wright. Julian Speroni restarts play with the free kick.
0:00 The referee gets the match started.
Live text and data provided by The Press Association.
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