Aidy Boothroyd warned Watford's rivals not to write off his side in the chase for automatic promotion.

The Hornets put their Barnsley blues behind them to claim a point at West Brom.

Which came as some relief for boss Boothroyd, who had endured a difficult fortnight - a horror show at Hull, a lucky win over Coventry and then embarrassment at the hands of the Tykes in front of the Vicarage Road faithful. But Watford, who struck first through Leigh Bromby on six minutes, were a side transformed at the Hawthorns, defending diligently bar a lapse which saw Leon Barnett equalise at the start of the second half.

John Eustace returned to provide control in midfield and Jobi McAnuff looked like he might be worth the £1.75million Watford paid Crystal Palace for him last summer.

And Boothroyd said: "Because we started the season so well and went eight points clear people say: 'Oh they've thrown it away' and you hear words like fumbling, stumbling, whimpering Watford - but we're not, we're still in there.

We are still going for the top two.

We set out to be champions. I probably would have taken three points off the top with three games to go back then.

"When I said three years ago we would avoid relegation and get promoted, people wanted to put me in a straitjacket.

"I guess if you live your life making bold statements you have to back them up. But I do think we can do it."

Bromby stabbed past Dean Kiely after the Albion keeper saved John-Joe O'Toole's header from a McAnuff corner.

West Brom struggled to turn their possession into chances, but they were level four minutes after the break when Dan Shittu went AWOL to allow Barnett to head home Zoltan Gera's free-kick. The final 10 minutes had a cup tie feel as both sides looked for a winner.

Barnett was lucky to get away with handling Bromby's long throw, a raking Gera shot flew inches wide and sub Roman Bednar could not hit the target with the goal gaping.

Lying second with a game in hand, Albion are still in pole position for automatic promotion.

And keeper Dean Kiely warned: "It certainly looks like it will go down to the last day.

With all the twists and turns nobody's really taking it by the scruff of the neck."

COMPUTER

WEST BROM

WATFORD

WATFORD STAY ON COURSE

BALL POSSESSION

47% 53%

FACE TO FACE

10 WEST BROM Corners WATFORD 5

4 WEST BROM Offside WATFORD 6

13 WEST BROM Fouls WATFORD 16

3 Cards 1

SHOTS

8 WEST BROM off target WATFORD 3

8 WEST BROM on target WATFORD 2

VILLAIN OF THE MATCH

Darius Henderson

(WATFORD)

5 Had no plan B when ref Mike Dean did not allow him to rough up the defence

MAN OF THE MATCH

Watford 7 Leigh Bromby

A good time to score his first goal in nearly three years and a rock at the back. (WATFORD)

ANORAK

West Brom have had more shots on target than any side in the Championship

THE RUN-INS

WEST BROM

Tomorrow: Wolves (a)

Sat April 19: Norwich (a)

Sat Apr 26: Soton (h)

May 4: QPR (a)

WATFORD

Sat April 19: Palace (h)

Sat Apr 26: Scunthorpe (h)

May 4: Blackpool (a)