Rhys Healey has largely had to settle for short cameos off the bench since joining Watford in the summer but he is the Hornets’ scoring hero tonight after his first goal for the club salvaged a late – but fully deserved – 1-1 draw against Southampton.

It looked increasingly like the Hornets were heading for only their second defeat in ten games after Che Adams had fired the visitors into a 56th minute lead when Valerien Ismael played his final hand deep into injury time by bringing on the former Toulouse striker for Edo Kayembe.

The substitute had been on the pitch for a matter of seconds when Ryan Porteous hit a long pass forward, Vakoun Bayo did very well to direct a header down and Healey chested the ball down outside the area before sweeping a low finish past Gavin Bazunu to spark delirious scenes in the Rookery.

It was no more than Watford deserved after a performance which underlined their continued improvement under Ismael as they showed they are now at a level where they can compete on an equal footing with one of the sides expected to be in the reckoning for automatic promotion. It also again underlined the character, spirit and desire within the squad to keep going to the end.

The first half had been a cagey affair for the most part with very few chances but Watford had the best one when Ken Sema was put through on goal but his shot was saved by Bazunu.

Yaser Asprilla forced the Saints keeper into an even better stop in the early stages of the second half, but it was the visitors who struck first when Adams drove home after Adam Armstrong had headed back a cross from substitute Ryan Fraser.

Kayembe, Ismael Kone and Ince all had opportunities thereafter, with Ben Hamer forced into an excellent save at the other to deny Fraser, but it looked like the Saints had done enough until Healey’s super-sub intervention.

Ismael made one change from the side that won 2-1 at Hull City last weekend and it was a significant one as Jake Livermore was ruled out with a knee injury, meaning Francisco Sierralta returned to the starting XI in midfield.

Southampton came into the match unbeaten in 11 games and boss Russell Martin also made one alteration from the team that beat Cardiff City 2-0 last time out, with Joe Aribo replacing Flynn Downes in midfield.

Both sides looked to be positive from the outset, with the Hornets winning their opening corner in the fifth minute after Porteous had struck a fine cross-field pass out to Sema on the left. That led to a second corner which was again played short before Sema delivered a cross but Sierralta was unable to direct his header on target.

Saints were content to play a patient, passing game in the opening stages, with their hosts disciplined and organised but looking to capitalise on any slackness from the Saints when the opportunity arose.

A lofted Jamal Lewis pass over the visitors’ defence put Sema away in the 13th minute but onrushing keeper Bazunu beat him to the ball and took out the Swedish international as well before the offside flag was raised. The Watford winger was not injured but it served as an example of where the instruction to the assistant referees not to raise their flags immediately is unsatisfactory.

The first 20 minutes though, had largely resembled a chess match with little threat on either goal. But three minutes later Ismael Kone won a free-kick in a dangerous position on the right side of the penalty area which Sema whipped towards the near post, Bazunu was unable to hold and Asprilla hit the rebound across goal and off the far post, only for the flag to be raised for offside.

Ryan Andrews did well at the other end to get across an opponent and deal with a dangerous low Kyle Walker-Peters delivery across the six-yard box, before Wesley Hoedt also caught the eye as he recovered, won back possession and started an attack after his loose pass had initially been intercepted.

Shea Charles became the first player to see yellow in the 34th minute for a blatant trip on Kone and from the resultant free-kick Watford had three men running in behind at the far post but none was able to get a touch.

Southampton did have an opportunity from a corner in the 38th minute when the ball was driven out from the right and Jan Bednarek helped it into the danger zone and Adam Armstrong tried an instinctive flick but sent it over the top of Hamer’s goal.

It was the home side’s turn to almost get in four minutes later when the excellent Kayembe sent Lewis scampering away on the left and he sent in a early low cross which needed some excellent defending from Taylor Harwood-Bellis to prevent Mileta Rajovic from having a gilt-edged opening.

But the Hornets had the best chance of the half soon after when Andrews drove forward before passing the ball inside to Rajovic who was able to help it into the path of Sema to put him in in goal. The winger took a touch and opted for power with his shot, but Bazunu had moved smartly off his line and made a good blocking save.

Adam Armstrong could have no complaints about his booking for a crude challenge on Andrews in the last minute of the opening period, but Watford finished the half strongly and had another chance from Sema’s delivery from the right which the diving Sierralta headed wide of Bazunu’s left-hand post.

The Saints boss made a change at the start of the second half, bringing on Fraser for Carlos Alcaraz, with Hamer making a routine stop to field a Stuart Armstrong shot that was straight at him in the early exchanges after the resumption.

The visitors went closer with their next chance in the 51st minute when Adams fizzed a shot on the turn from the left side of the penalty area across goal and narrowly wide of the far post after being slipped in by Stuart Armstrong.

Watford were to go even closer two minutes later when Lewis’ cross from the left was challenged for by Rajovic before it broke for Asprilla to hit a left-footed shot that was destined for the bottom corner until it was superbly pushed behind by Bazunu.

But it was the visitors who were to draw first blood in the 56th minute.

Stuart Armstrong released Fraser on the left, his deep cross to the back post was headed down by Adam Armstrong and Adams took one touch to control which wrong-footed Sierralta before drilling his finish into the net to make it 1-0.

Porteous received Watford’s first booking in the 59th minute after a lunging challenge on Fraser and he was quickly joined in the book by Kone for delaying the restart from a free-kick.

Southampton looked like they might be in again when Aribo got in behind the Hornets on the right and drove in a cross which Hamer could only parry back into the area, but his defenders were able to deal with the danger.

Ismael was preparing to make changes when Watford had their next chance when Asprilla’s pass in behind gave Kayembe the chance to run at the defence, but his shot was deflected behind by Harwood-Bellis.

That was to be Asprilla’s last involvement as he was replaced by Tom Ince while Rajovic made way for Bayo.

It took a fine stop from Hamer to prevent Fraser from firing Southampton into a 2-0 lead in the 73rd minute when he tipped over the substitute’s rising drive after Kone had lost the ball after being guilty of over-playing, giving Adam Armstrong a free run at a stretched backline short of numbers.

It was Kone who had Watford’s next opportunity when he was played in by Sema, who had intercepted a Charles pass, but the Canadian international’s goalbound shot was blocked.

Kone and Lewis were then taken off in the 80th minute and replaced by Giorgi Chakvetadze and Matheus Martins, while Saints goalscorer Adams made way for Sekou Mara.

Watford had another opportunity when a Martins delivery into the area fell nicely for Ince to strike a first-time shot on the turn but it was straight at Bazunu.

Southampton were increasingly resorting to time wasting though, as Stuart Armstrong was booked after taking an age to leave the field of play when he was replaced by James Bree – Will Smallbone also coming on for Aribo at the same time – while Hoedt also saw yellow after letting his frustrations get the better of him.

The signalling of a minimum of eight minutes of injury time afforded the Hornets hope they could still get an equaliser though, with Ismael bringing on Healey for Kayembe in one last throw of the dice with five of those minutes elapsed. It proved to be a masterstroke.

Porteous launched the ball forward from his own half, Bayo did superbly to get up and win a header and with his second touch after chesting the ball down Healey swept a low left-footed shot beyond Bazunu to equalise with his first touch and net a deserved equaliser with his first goal for the club.

It turns out Healey also possesses a good long throw and he launched the ball a couple of times into the Southampton box as Watford tried to snatch an even more dramatic late winner.

A final opportunity was not forthcoming but the Hornets left the field to a deserved standing ovation, while Healey was mobbed by his delighted teammates.

Watford: Hamer; Andrews, Porteous, Hoedt, Lewis (Martins 80); Kayembe (Healey 90+5), Sierralta, Kone (Chakvetadze 80); Asprilla (Ince 69), Rajovic (Bayo 69), Sema. Subs not used: Bachmann, Louza, Pollock, Dele-Bashiru.

Southampton: Bazunu; Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Manning; Aribo (Smallbone 86), Charles, S Armstrong (Bree 86); A Armstrong, Alcaraz (Fraser 46), Adams (Mara 80). Subs not used: Lumley, Stephens, Holgate, Edozie, Bragg.

Bookings: Charles (34); A Armstrong (45); Porteous (59); Kone (60); S Armstrong (86); Hoedt (86); Fraser (90+3).

Referee: Geoff Eltringham.