FA Cup Semi Final Watford 3-2 Wolves

Watford Football Club are in an FA Cup final, yes really! If you had told me I would ever see Watford in an FA Cup final when I first went to Vicarage Road for the first time 14 years ago I would have laughed!

Since then I have seen the club go through some good times but also the toughest of times, being 11 minutes from going out of business comes to mind. From beating Reading 3-0 on the penultimate day of the season in 2010 to secure survival in the Championship, to the extra time heartbreak of the play off final in 2013. But this time it was extra time elation for the Golden Boys as Gerard Deulofeu fired the goal that made once was a dream for an 8 year old boy, into a reality for a 20 year old man.

From the moment The Hornets drew Wolves I had a good feeling, first of all it was a game at Wembley without having to face Palace! The 2-0 win away in October stood us in good stead, Javi had already tactically outfought Nuno and I always felt he would do it again.


Even waking up on Sunday, the excitement for once outweighed the nerves, it just felt that it was going to be our day. The atmosphere around Wembley was electric, I think deep down we were all nervous, but as the day went on the belief was palpable in the Green Man pub. Something felt different this time...

The first half was one of few chances, Andre Gray had a golden chance to put the Golden Boys ahead but saw his effort go just over the bar. Sadly it was a chance that just five minutes later he would rue, as Matt Doherty headed home the opener for Wolves, giving the yellow half of Wembley that horrible sinking feel we've all gone through before. It remained 1-0 at the break, I said if we conceded again that's curtains, but if we scored next we would go on to win the game. Turns out I know nothing about football!

Wolves did double their lead, as Raul Jimenez excellently took the ball down and fired past the despairing dive of Gomes. I was gutted, I slumped back in my seat for a good 10 minutes, unable to comprehend that perhaps it wasn't going to be our day. That horrible feeling I felt when Wickham scored his headed in the semi final 3 years ago, and when Phillips fired into the corner in the play off final just all came back. On came the Spanish magician hoping to change the tie, boy he did...

With 12 minutes to go he looped a delicious chip over Ruddy, to bring some belief back, all of a sudden 32,500 Watford fans started to believe again. Every time one of the legends in yellow had the ball a roar would go up, urging him to be the saviour. Let's face it there was only going to be one man who was going to save the day...

In the second minute of injury time, Dendoncker brought down Deeney in the box, I didn't even appeal for a penalty, for some reason I think we all just knew. The roar when referee Michael Oliver pointed to the spot was palpable, there was no way Deeney would let us down. And of course he didn't, he smashed his penalty into the back of the net, queue absolute bedlam on the west side of Wembley Stadium.

I couldn't believe it, hands behind my head in disbelief, from being 12 minutes away from more Wembley despair to pure joy, elation, relief. Hugging anyone within touching distance, it was shared joy, it's what football is all about.

To extra time and Watford were set up to attack and Wolves to defend with the respective substitutions of both managers. There was a feeling there would only be one winner, Wolves fans suddenly were very quiet, those nerves reflected on the pitch by their sides extra time performance. On the other hand, The Hornets ran like the game had just kicked off not just entered its 100th minute.

My view of the other goal from the lower tier of Wembley was obscured, all I saw was the ball go through to Deulofeu and the next thing I was being head-locked by my friends around me! We were ahead, from 2-0 down, to 3-2 up it was crazy, the scenes will live with me for the rest of my life.

The Hornets had 15 minutes to hold on and they did it expertly limiting Wolves to the one chance in the second period of extra time. Before you knew it the final whistle went, Watford Football Club were in their first FA Cup final for the first time in 35 years... the first in my lifetime.

I'm not going to lie I got way too caught up in the joy and emotion of it all, I welled up just a tad! Thats the beauty of football, for 90 minutes, in this case 120 nothing else matters, this game meant everything.

On May 18th I will be surrounded by friends who I have gone to football with for years, watching the team I have followed home and away for 14 years. Game number 84 on the spin for me will be an FA Cup final... I. Cannot. Wait.

This was one of the best days of my life, all the emotions, anger, despair, to joy, belief and most of all excitement. I cannot believe The Hornets turned that game around.

May 18th. Wembley Stadium. Manchester City v Watford.

Bring. It. On.

YOU 'ORNSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Watford 3-2 Wolves 
Deulofeu x2 
Deeney (P)