BLACKBURN Rovers boss Gary Bowyer praised his side’s ‘outstanding response’ after they came from two goals down at half-time to a draw an enthralling Championship clash 2-2 at home to high-flying Watford yesterday.

Top-scorer and man-of-the-match Rudy Gestede started the fight back 23 seconds after the restart when he emphatically headed in his fifth goal of the season from a Markus Olsson cross before impressive substitute Ryan Tunnicliffe rose highest to put a finishing touch to a flowing move instigated by Tom Cairney and Ben Marshall.

Rovers, who racked up 30 shots on goal after their second-half barrage, pushed for a dramatic late winner and they came close to getting one when Cairney cracked the bar from a free kick and overworked Hornets goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes saved from Gestede and Jordan Rhodes.

“It was an outstanding response and I think we created enough chances to go on and win the game against a good Watford team,” said Bowyer, who hailed Tunnicliffe’s equaliser as good enough to grace the Premier League.

 “Gomes was booked for time wasting in the 57th minute so that shows where they were and what they were thinking.”

The Hornets took a commanding lead into the break after Matej Vydra took advantage of Rovers’ botched attempt to play a high line and after Daniel Tozser fired a free kick past home debutant Jason Steele.

Bowyer said: “We found ourselves 2-0 down to two outstanding strikes at half-time, which I thought was harsh. That’s why I was calm with them.

“Steeley had made one save whereas Gomes had made three or four. We looked a threat going forward and we continued that in the second half.

“We hit the bar, we had a penalty appeal turned down and Rudy Gestede could have finished with four – we did everything bar win the game.

“So the players at the end were disappointed they had not taken all three points.”

New Watford first-team coach, and former Rovers midfielder, Billy McKinlay insisted it remained a point gained for Oscar Garcia’s third-placed side.

“It is easy to sit here and focus on the two goals we lost but we had some really good attacking play, particularly in the first half, and we had some good opportunities in the second half where we could have picked a better pass or had a little bit more quality on the counter-attack and we could have won the game,” said McKinlay, who was appointed to Hornets boss Garcia’s coaching staff this week.

 “It is really important we don’t just get too bogged down that it was 2-0 and ended 2-2.

“Before the game would you take a point here? I don’t think it is bad result and I believe they will be in the (play-off) shake-up.”