Watford faced a familiar foe on their path to the Emirates FA Cup final in 2019, with a packed-out Vicarage Road in full voice to will the Hornets on to Wembley against Crystal Palace.

Nearly three years on from a heartbreaking defeat to the Eagles in the semi-finals of the same competition, a buzz surrounded this quarter-final clash. Under the beaming sun and with anticipation building, a ticket to the famous arch gave both teams reason to put out strong sides.

Current Watford boss Roy Hodgson occupied the away dugout for the match, eager to reach the first cup semi-final of his English career.

“When you get this far in the competition, you see the Wembley towers in front of you and you dream of getting there,” said Hodgson. “So you know how important it is to give a good performance on the day. It’s never easy going away from home, to a Premier League club, but we’ve got this opportunity and I hope the players will do their level best.”

Marred by the absence of Wilfried Zaha through injury, the Palace players were urged to win the game for their talisman and give everything on the pitch.

Watford went into the game with confidence, the Rookery roaring behind Vicente Guaita’s goal to calm any nerves. Palace had started strongest but the backing of the Vicarage Road faithful had seen the Golden Boys grow into the game, fashioning more chances and winning an abundance of corners. After the initial handful of deliveries failed to make an impact, one finally made its mark.

Guaita batted clear the cross, but the ball fell fortuitously for Craig Cathcart to divert back across goal. Opening up to power home, Étienne Capoue turned the ball in to give Watford the advantage after 26 minutes.

The visitors had their backs to the wall for much of the first 45, having to fight off the Hornets’ advances from left and right, but battled back into the action in the second period. Now controlling possession and enjoying attacks on the right flank, they got their reward when Michy Batshuayi pressed relentlessly to dispossess Adrian Mariappa, slotting past Heurelho Gomes and doing his best to silence the home support with his celebration.

On 77 minutes, with the two teams vying for a way in, Andre Gray was brought into the fray as Javi Gracia’s side searched for a winner. Gray would only need one minute.

Roberto Pereyra’s excellent lofted pass in behind the visitors’ defence deserves huge credit in the goal, but Gray showed a striker’s instinct to dart ahead of his man, meeting the ball on the volley to convert.

Many expected a nervy end to the game as Watford sought to retain their place in the final four. Instead, the Golden Boys continued to test the Palace backline, showing no signs of letting the pressure grow.

In the dying seconds, Palace earned a last chance at changing the tide when Aaron Wan-Bissaka won possession on the edge of the Watford box, but his shot flailed wide and condemned the south Londoners to defeat.

Gomes was emotional at full-time, having played what appeared to be his final game at The Vic. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as he soaked in the joy of victory with his family, a chorus of “Heurelho Gomes Baby” ringing out around the ground.

Watford’s cup fairytale would eventually end in the final at the hands of Manchester City, but memories of the cup run, especially their subsequent 3-2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the semi-final, will be passed on for generations to come.

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