An unchanged Pool got things underway on a chilly wet November afternoon and soon forced an early corner when Alan Gow forced DeMerit to turn behind, but Claus Jorgensen's tame low effort failed to test the Hornets defence.
A minute later Watford had an appeal for a penalty turned down when O'Toole went down in the area, the Watford man picked up a yellow card for dissent, but that was all forgotten moments later when Watford took the lead, a long punt up field was expertly back heeled by Rasiak into the path of WILL HOSKINS and the former Rotherham man gave Rachubka no chance with an expert finish.
Pool had a great chance to equalise a minute later when Ben Burgess drilled a finish across goal after great work from Taylor-Fletcher and David Vaughan.
Pool had another great chance on 7 minutes when Gary Taylor-Fletcher chested down a great Alan Gow cross and with the keeper beaten Taylor-Fletcher saw his volley blocked by what appeared to by a hand, but the referee waved away the protests and the ball fell to Keith Southern who saw his strike whistle over the bar.
From the resulting goal kick Watford burst forward in an attack that saw the lively Will Hoskins hit the post with strike from just inside the area.
In what was becoming a real end to end encounter Alan Gow raced forward but despite having David Vaughan unmarked to his left the Rangers man went for goal and saw his shot blocked behind for a corner, which Pool failed to test the hosts defence with.
Will Hoskins almost doubled Watford's lead on 15 minutes when he almost got on the end of a Grzegoriz Rasiak cross.
The Seasiders deservedly got themselves back on level terms on 18 minutes when KEITH SOUTHERN fired home after Claus Jorgensen had smashed a free kick straight into the defensive wall, fortunately the ball fell to Southern who left footed fired beyond Richards Lee.
Pool had their hearts in their mouths on 26 minutes when Shaun Barker headed just over his own cross bar, the Watford supporters sat to our left thought the big man had headed into the top corner, but fortunately the ball hit the side netting.
Claus Jorgensen saw another left wing corner collected by the keeper on the half hour.
Five minutes later Pool found themselves in arrears and once again it was poor defending from a set play, Jon Harley swung a free kick into the area where GRZEGORZ RASIAK was gifted a free header and the former Southampton man made no mistake powering a header beyond Rachubka.
On the stroke of half time the referee took centre stage when Alan Gow appeared to fouled by Darren Ward as he broke through on goal with everyone expecting Ward to be sent off for a professional foul and a free kick to be awarded in favour of the Seasiders, Mr East waved away the protests. Clearly furious with the official several Pool players surrounded the referee as did Simon Grayson and Tony Parkes at half time, but the only action the referee was to take was to book Keith Southern for dissent.
Half Time Watford 2 Blackpool 1
The conversation over the half time refreshments was the Gow incident and everyone to a man felt Pool had been "hard done by" . Although scant consolation Aidy Boothroyd's opinion of Mr East also took a battering when the official allowed Pool to take a quick free kick from the wrong place with a moving ball, Boothroyd would have been climbing the wall had Alan Gow fired home after a great ball from Gary Taylor-Fletcher.
Pool all but banished the referees inabilities on 56 minutes when BEN BURGESS put Pool back onto level terms, the big striker appeared to chip Richard Lee from the edge of the area after more great work form Alan Gow and Gary Taylor-Fletcher.
Watford made their first change of the afternoon on 62 minutes when Lee Williamson replaced John-Joe O'Toole.
Moments later Pool had another penalty appeal waved away when DeMerit appeared to handle when trying to acrobatically clear his lines.
Midway through the second period Watford re-established their lead when TOMMY SMITH fired home form the spot after Ben Burgess had been penalised for a reckless challenge on John Eustace inside the area, whilst it was a foul,
Pool could and should have made it 3-3 but Ben Burgess just couldn't get on the end of a left wing cross, Pool then made their first change of the afternoon when David Vaughan made way for Adam Hammill.
With 17minutes remaining Mr East made another dire decision when he penalised Gary Taylor-Fletcher for winning the ball in a 50/50 challenge, "Fletch" picked up a yellow for his trouble and fortunately Watford wasted the resulting free kick.
Alan Gow flashed an effort just over on 80 minutes, three minutes later Pool made it 3-3 when GARY TAYLOR-FLETCHER prodded home for his fourth goal of the season after the Watford defence had made a hash of a right wing Pool cross.
In the second of three minutes stoppage time Pool nicked a winner when ALAN GOW sent the travelling Tangerine Army in to raptures when he fired home after Gary Taylor-Fletcher had split the Hornets defence with a fanatastic through ball.
The final whislte saw the entire Pool squad and stafd celebrate Pool's first win at Vicarage Road since 1970.
POOL: Rachubka, Barker, Evatt, Edwards, Coid, Taylor-Fletcher, Southern, Jorgensen, Vaughan(Hammill 68) Gow, Burgess, Subs Not Used: Broomes, Fox, Camara, Mitchley
WATFORD: Lee, Sadler, DeMerit, Eustace, Rasiak, Doyley, Harley, Smith, Hoskins, Ward, O'Toole (Williamson 62) Subs Not Used Tyler, Robinson, McAnuff, Mariappa
Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire)
Attendance: 13,517 (717 Away)
Next Game; Saturday 8th November v Ipswich Town Kick Off 3pm
