Wayne Rooney always felt Plymouth could get something out of the game after they extended their unbeaten home run to six Championship matches thanks to Andre Gray’s last-minute leveller in a 2-2 draw with Watford.
Former Hornets striker Gray cancelled out Vakoun Bayo’s eighth-minute opener with a brilliant 23rd-minute volley.
Ryan Porteous restored Watford’s lead in the 41st minute but Gray’s strike six minutes into stoppage time earned the Pilgrims a point.
Rooney said: “I was confident we could get a late goal, because we’ve done it a few times now and there is that belief, especially when the fans get behind you.
“They’ve got the best player in the league but I thought after the first 10 minutes and going a goal down we did well to get back in it.
“We spread our centre-backs out a bit more in the second half and played better.
“We created a few more chances and the lads who came on made a difference.”
Gray joined the Hornets in October on a deal that runs until January and Rooney is confident the club will talk to the striker about a longer stay.
The former England captain added: “It was a fantastic goal from Andre. It’s really difficult to score like that, a ball over the shoulder, I know how difficult that is to take, and it’s a world-class finish.
“Andre’s second goal was a fantastic finish.
“We have got a lot of games coming up between now and January and you can see the quality he has got.
“I am sure before January there will be conversations about him staying.”
Watford head coach Tom Cleverley, Rooney’s former Manchester United team-mate, felt it was only a world-class strike from Gray that denied his side a deserved victory.
“If you reduce Plymouth to what we did this evening, you win this nine times out of 10,” Cleverley said.
“I felt that we had so many opportunities in transition, we just weren’t clinical enough.
“I can’t be too angry with the players, it was everything we asked for. We asked for a real underdog mentality when we haven’t got the ball.
“In possession we showed real class and calmness, we just didn’t get the third goal that you always feel you need when you come here – they score a lot of late goals and that’s what’s undone us today.
“Sometimes goals are scored against the odds.
“It’s taken an absolute wonder strike to get the equaliser.
“Andre’s hit a strike that’s a once-in-a-career goal and it hurts.
“As an ex player and ex team-mate sometimes that gives a player an extra 10 per cent.
“Andre’s performance in the final third is what got them a point today.”
