Watford 1-1 Everton
by Zipo Mangaliso
at Vicarage Road

Under-fire Everton manager Roberto Martinez refused to criticise England defender John Stones for his contribution to Watford’s goal in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Vicarage Road.

A defensive mix-up between Stones and goalkeeper Joel Robles led to a needless corner which Jose Holebas scored from.

The Toffees boss said: “You have to play the action you get in front of you; it’s not looking back and thinking if we didn’t give away that corner we would’ve never conceded.

“It’s more disappointing regarding the nature of the goal. It’s a dead-ball situation and it’s a header that bounces back off a Watford player and hits the back of the net.

“Any dead-ball situation you have to defend it well.”

Everton led through James McCarthy’s first goal of the season on 45 minutes after he tackled Miguel Britos on the edge of the Watford area before slotting past Huerelho Gomes.

Watford instantly replied through Holebas’s deflected header from close range in first-half stoppage time.

The first real chance of the game fell to Jose Manuel Jurado who spun his man brilliantly to create space for a firm drive which produced a good save from Robles on the quarter-hour mark.

Five minutes later Everton had their first sight of goal through Gerard Deulofeu whose shot was parried away by Gomes for a corner after a blistering counterattack.

In the second half, Romelu Lukaku had the best chance to seal a winner as he hit the crossbar from six-yards out after he reacted fastest to Kevin Mirallas’s free-kick two minutes from time.

Watford had a late chance of their own in injury time through Ben Watson’s fierce drive which took a deflection but somehow Robles still managed to tip it around the post.