RESILIENT Rovers produced a storming second-half fight back to recover from two goals down and draw an enthralling contest they did enough to win.

Watford opened the scoring in the 30th minute after Matej Vydra made Gary Bowyer’s side pay for trying to play a high line.

And the Hornets doubled their advantage 11 minutes later with an excellent free kick from Daniel Tozser which home debutant Jason Steele may feel he should have saved.

But the momentum of the encounter shifted after man-of-the-match Rudy Gestede superbly headed in his fifth goal of the season, less than a minute after the start of the second half, from a terrific Markus Olsson cross.

From then on Rovers peppered Heurelho Gomes’ goal and they got the equaliser they deserved 13 minutes from time when Tom Cairney and Ben Marshall combined brilliantly for impressive substitute Ryan Tunnicliffe to head home the first goal of his senior career.

Unchanged Rovers enjoyed the lion’s share of pressure and played good football in the first half.

But they were unable to break down a well-organised Watford team who were dangerous on the counter attack.

That much was clear in the second minute when Olsson misjudged a raking pass over the top, allowing the lightning quick Ikechi Anya to bear down on goal.

But instead of shooting, the Scotland international chose to pass the ball across the box to Odion Ighalo, who should have done better than skew his first-time shot well wide of the post.

It was a big let-off for Rovers.

But they slowly grew into the game and after Gomes saved comfortably from Jordan Rhodes, he got down low to his left to keep out a left-footed effort from Alex Baptiste after Cairney and Marshall combined to play the right back in.

Then it was the turn of Steele to make his only serious save of the afternoon after Ighalo twisted Grant Hanley this way and that.

But it was Gomes who remained the busier goalkeeper as he denied Cairney from distance with a similar type of strike that flew into the back of the net in the opening day draw with Cardiff City.

It came somewhat of a surprise, then, when Vydra broke the deadlock with an expert piece of finishing.

The Czech striker was played onside by the Rovers defence who had their hands raised in unison.

Vydra’s initial touch was not great.

But there was absolutely nothing wrong with what happened next as he shifted the ball on to his left foot before powering it past Steele from the edge of the area.

Rovers needed a response and on two occasions they nearly got one courtesy of Gestede, who would have headed in Cairney’s inswinging cross had it not been for a vital touch by Gomes.

Moments later and Gestede went closer still.

Cairney played the ball into Rhodes who popped it off for his strike-partner to curl inches wide of the upright.

But two minutes after that Rovers fell further behind.

Corry Evans fouled Vydra 20 yards from goal and Tozser did the rest from the free kick as he beat Steele at the post he was covering.

But 25 seconds after the restart the Hornets’ advantage was halved as Gestede thumped home an unstoppable header.

It was the big forward’s 14th goal in his last 16 starts and it moved him to the top of the Rovers’ scoring charts.

It also kick started wave after wave of attacks from the hosts.

Marshall, who moved to right back at half-time after Craig Conway replaced the injured Alex Baptiste, then swung over a cross which was cleared only as far as Gestede.

But this time he could not provide the finishing touch as he dragged the ball wide.

Rovers then had a big penalty appeal turned down when Evans’ cross appeared to hit the hand of Juan Carlos Paredes.

Watford were on the ropes and Gomes attempted to stem the tide by time wasting.

When he was eventually booked there were 33 minutes still to play.

Gomes then pushed a hooked attempt from Gestede behind after Shane Duffy knocked down another centre from Marshall.

But the Hornets’ rearguard was finally broken in the 77th minute.

And what a fine goal it was too as Cairney showed vision and patience to slip in the overlapping Marshall, whose stood-up cross was headed home by the onrushing Tunnicliffe.

It now seemed a case of when and not if Rovers would find a winner.

And they came desperately close to getting one two minutes from time.

Firstly a superbly struck 20-yard free kick from Cairney came back off the angle of post and bar before Gomes saved from Gestede in the follow up.

The ball was then thrown back into the box where Rhodes was adjudged to have fouled Gomes in bundling it over the line.

The final opportunity fell to Rhodes.

But after showing strength to hold off his marker and stay on his feet, his poked shot was turned away by Gomes.

The draw leaves Rovers 10th in the Championship going into Tuesday’s trip to 19th-placed Rotherham United.

Rovers: Steele, Baptiste (Conway 46), Hanley, Duffy, Olsson, Cairney, Williamson (Tunnicliffe 62), Evans, Marshall, Rhodes, Gestede. Subs not used: Eastwood, Kilgallon, King, Varney, Taylor.

Booked: Cairney.

Goals: Gestede 46, Tunnicliffe 77.

Watford: Gomes, Paredes, Angella, Cathcart, Pudil, Anya (Ekstrand 88), Tozser, Munari, Murray (Forestieri 79) Vydra, Ighalo (Dyer 69). Subs not used:  Bond, Hoban, McGugan, Fabbrini.

Booked: Gomes, Vydra, Angella.

Goals: Vydra 30, Tozser 41.

Referee: Darren Drysdale. 

Attendance: 14,084 (675 away).