What a mindboggling few months it has been for Adam Virgo.

The centre half converted into a rightback and then centre forward by Mark McGhee has been Albion's play-off saviour, point-saver and match-winner. Now, for the time being at least, he is their No.1 striker.

When Chris McPhee came on for his first appearance of the season, ten minutes after the Seagulls had undeservedly fallen behind, it was Leon Knight and not Virgo he replaced.

The Brighton-born youngster rewarded McGhee's ingenuity with a remarkable equaliser five minutes from time. Running onto a pass by Darren Currie through the inside right channel, he nearly lost his footing before unleashing a drive which dipped over Watford keeper Richard Lee.

Suddenly and quite unexpectedly it is the goalless Knight rather than Virgo whose place is under threat from the fit-again McPhee.

Don't rule it out. McGhee thinks McPhee "would have played in every game" this season if he had not broken a bone in his foot in the summer.

The manager is also fearless and ruthless about tough decision-making. Albert Jarrett came on for birthday boy Adam El-Abd, 20, with 20 minutes left at Vicarage Road and was then replaced himself by defender Dan Harding only 17 minutes later to at least keep hold of the point the young winger had helped retrieve.

"Albert was obviously shocked, I think a few people were, but I don't care," said McGhee. "We make decisions for the team, not individuals."

Virgo had managed just one goal in 42 appearances for Albion prior to his last-gasp aggregate leveller in extra-time of the play-off semi-final against Swindon in May.

Now he has scored three in the last four League games, all from longish range, which have earned Albion four precious extra points in the Coca-Cola Championship.

Virgo also rescued a draw with a late equaliser at home to Coventry last month, then scored the only goal at Leicester. It is Roy of the Rovers stuff.

"I feel like I am in a whirlwind at the moment," he revealed. "I just sat in the dressing room and couldn't really believe it.

"I only had two shots. One was sloppy and the other went in. It's all down to confidence from the other players and manager. You would be amazed what it does for the confidence of a young player like me if the manager believes in you.

"If he is prepared to play me up front that says a lot to me. I can only pay him back with good performances.

"I am not really used to scoring, so it is all a new experience for me. All three of my goals have been outside the box, so I think the manager wants me to score a few more inside the box but, however they come, whether spectacular or ordinary, we'll take them."

Albion are beginning to look like a bonafide Championship team. The same starting line-up carried on where they left off at Leicester a fortnight ago and were unlucky, both on the balance of play and in the manner of the concession, to go behind early in the second half to Danny Webber's sixth goal in as many matches.

There was certainly a suspicion of offside as the otherwise subdued former Manchester United marksman controlled and converted a cross from Neil Cox to beat Michel Kuipers for the first time in almost five hours.

"I want to see it again," McGhee said. "It looked offside to me. I just hope it was a good decision by the linesman, because too many wrong decisions are costing people points.

"Sometimes it is a big test when you lose a goal like that away from home and I think we responded in the right way. We have emerged at the moment as a team that looks like a First Division team.

"We have come a long, long way, even from the play-off final at Cardiff last season where we weren't a footballing team. We are determined to play and we are showing we can.

"We want to improve and make better and more chances, but I am pleased enough. We held our own against a team very experienced at this level and players who have played a lot of games at this level.

"After the start we made to the season three games without defeat is very important. It would have been a real kick in the teeth if we had lost, because we put an awful lot into it."

Kuipers, with Danny Cullip and Guy Butters commanding in front of him, had a quiet afternoon compared to Lee. Watford's custodian could only watch as Dean Hammond volleyed over from eight yards early on before uncomfortably keeping out a 30-yard shot by Hammond's midfield partner Alexis Nicolas.

Lee later produced a fine reaction save when a free-kick from the probing Currie appeared to deflect goalwards off a defender, with Hammond on the premises.

Watford manager Ray Lewington had no complaints about his inconsistent side's first draw for 11 matches. "It was poor quality from us and it was a horrible game," he said.

"To be fair to Brighton, they had more control and composure than us. We hurried and scurried but they were physically strong. I thought their central two were excellent and we didn't really trouble them too much. The goal was about the only worthwhile thing we did."

  • ALBION (4-4-2): Kuipers 7; El-Abd 7, Cullip 9, Butters 8, Mayo 7; Hinshelwood 7, Hammond 7, Nicolas 7, Currie 7; Knight 6, Virgo 8. Subs: Hart, Jarrett for El-Abd (withdrawn 70), McPhee for Knight (withdrawn 62), Harding for Jarrett (withdrawn 87), May
  • Scorer: Virgo, 85
  • Bookings: None
  • WATFORD (4-4-2): Lee; Doyley, Cox, Dyche, P. Mayo; Devlin, Gunnarsson, Mahon, Ardley; Helguson, Webber. Subs: Bouazza for Doyley (withdrawn 87), Young for Ardley (withdrawn 67), Chamberlain, Dyer, Darlington
  • Scorer: Webber, 52
  • Bookings: Young (79) foul, Gunnarsson (90) foul
  • Half-Time: Watford 0 Albion 0
  • Attendance: 14,148 (2,248 Albion)
  • Fans' View JULIE HUTCHIN (Brighton) Credit to the players for showing great 'bouncebackability' in the last three games after a disappointing start to the season. The fans definitely helped us get the equaliser. You'd have thought we'd won the cup the way everyone was jumping around.

KATIE HUTCHIN (Brighton) We deserved a point because we defended well, pushed hard for a goal and never gave up. Adam Virgo, Adam Hinshelwood and Adam El-Abd all did well. There's no doubt our fans played a big part, really getting behind the team.

ROBERT MORRISON (aged 11, Croydon) It was an exciting game with lots of action, two good goals and much louder Brighton supporters than at Withdean. I think Darren Currie played very well and didn't lose the ball much. Adam Virgo won lots of headers and scored a good goal.

JAMES MORRISON (aged 9, Croydon) Brighton played better than Watford and were unlucky not to win. Alexis Nicolas was the best player as he did good tackling and always passed the ball to a Brighton player. It was a very exciting match and Brighton were the loudest fans.