Watford 1-1 Southampton: Stuart Amstrong equalises in the 89th minute to send FA Cup fourth round clash to a replay at St Mary's

Matheus Martins opened the scoring just five minutes into the matchStuart Armstrong lashed home in the closing stages to rescue his side Why Jurgen Klopp quit and who Liverpool should go for now - Listen to It's All Kicking Off

For those supporters in red and white who made the journey to Vicarage Road, their world had nearly crashed.

Not because Southampton were on the verge of being knocked out of the FA Cup fourth round. That would not have been ideal — but it was all about their special, special record.

A week ago, the Saints broke a 103-year record. Twenty-two consecutive games unbeaten. A run many of these fans may never again see in their lifetime.

All good things eventually come to an end, and it very much looked that way until the 89th minute.

Stuart Armstrong received the ball just outside the box. He lashed it into the bottom-left corner past goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann to rescue his team from the depths of defeat. The noise reverberating from the stands showed what this meant.

Stuart Armstrong celebrates after equalising for Southampton against Watford on Sunday

Armstrong found the net with one minute of normal time to go to send the game to a replay

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Though the visitors had been meek and poor. There was scant opportunity on goal, only switching on after four substitutions were made around the hour mark. Manager Russell Martin will have walked away feeling like a lottery winner.

He said: ‘They’ve got an amazing mentality, relentless in the second half. They won’t accept being beat which is an amazing trait for any team to have. We deserved at least that (draw). The goal was rubbish to concede, to give away a free-kick is disappointing.

‘There was a lot of disappointment at half-time. The guys who came on had a huge impact on the game. It was a proper cup tie.’

The winner of the replay between these two sides next month will face Liverpool. He added: ‘There’s a huge incentive to play Liverpool away in Jurgen Klopp’s last season as manager, it’s a big incentive for anyone.’

The Saints fans had arrived in their droves and were expectant. Rightly so, having enjoyed an unbeaten stretch spanning over four months, since losing to Middlesbrough 2-1 on September 23.

It is a truly remarkable turnaround by Martin. He was earmarked for the sack after four straight defeats in September. The fickle nature of football.

Yet, Watford took little notice of these numbers. The Saints had made nine changes, with Kyle Walker-Peters, who is admired by Arsenal, on the bench.

So not full strength but, nevertheless, the Hornets were brilliant. They did everything, bar put the game out of reach by the hour mark with multiple goals. By the end, this was the difference between a FA Cup fourth round replay and progression to the fifth round.

Yaser Asprilla caused Mason Holgate a migraine on that left flank. But it was Matheus Martins who shone just as bright, as he time and again made in-roads forward.

Watford manager Valerien Ismael said: ‘We were solid, disciplined, well-organised. The only thing was we need to learn to become more composed on the ball. We lost the ball too many times easily.

‘If you want to become a top team, you need to control the ball more.’

Matheus Martins had broken the deadlock just five minutes into the fourth round clash

Martins (right) celebrates after finding the net five minutes into Sunday’s match

Martins earned Watford the lead after five minutes, catching goalkeeper Joe Lumley off-guard with a free-kick that crept in at the near post.

It was clever and precise. The opposite of Holgate, his lazy hack on Asprilla causing the foul.

Later in the half, Lumley had a moment of madness. He raced out of the box and didn’t get the ball, yet the Hornets could not muster a goalbound shot.

The home side should have scored another by half-time when Bayo muscled his way into the box. The ball fell between Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Jack Stephens, both looking at each other. Vakoun Bayo struck the ball wide.

Watford started the second period in the same vein. Asprilla danced down the left flank on many an occasion, providing service for his team-mates in the box.

None could finish. It was no surprise to see him substituted for Ken Sema on 62 minutes. He needed a rest.

Manager Russell Martin will have walked away feeling like a lottery winner after his side scored a late equaliser to force a replay

It took for the introductions of Will Smallbone, Ryan Fraser, Adam Armstrong and Stuart Armstrong on 63 minutes to kick the visitors into life.

Martins had struck a post with a shot dug into the turf, which could have sealed the match, but Holgate had a strike saved at the other end.

Southampton’s renewed attacking vigour saw Stuart Armstrong receive, and take, his chance.

Harwood-Bellis had his header from a corner saved by a sprawling Bachmann in the 94th minute. If that went in, that would have been cruel.