Ismael Kone scored his first goal for Watford and striker Rhys Healey made his debut in a 1-1 friendly draw with Arsenal, behind closed doors at their training ground.

The Hornets handed the captain’s armband to Ken Sema for this game, while there was a triallist in the side for the last half an hour, coming on for Imaran Louza who clearly shook off the ankle knock he suffered at Boreham Wood in midweek.

Arsenal fielded several senior players including Gabriel Jesus, Ben White, Leandro Trossard and Eddie Nketiah.

As is always the case in summer friendlies, the teams changed markedly at half-time, with Arsenal making nine substitutions to Watford’s five – by the end of the game, both sides had replaced every player who started.

Daniel Bachmann made an early stop to deny Mauro Bandeira before Vakoun Bayo tested Gunners’ keeper Arthur Okwonkwo.

Ken Sema was denied by another save and, at the other end, a sliding tackle from Ryan Porteous kept out Reiss Nelson.

Watford took the lead three minutes before half time when Kone released Matheus Martins. His shot was parried but the Canadian international was on hand to score from the rebound.

The home side levelled nine minutes after the restart when Amario Cozier-Duberry’s cross was palmed away by Ben Hamer and Marquinhos knocked in the loose ball.

Watford’s closest effort of the second half was when Mattie Pollock’s header from a corner was saved by James Hillson.

Arsenal: Okonkwo (Hillson HT), White (Norton-Cuffy 60), Magalhães (Walter HT), Jesus (Biereth HT, Sagoe Jr. 76), Nketiah (Marquinhos HT), Holding (Kirk 60), Soares (Sousa HT), Trossard (Cozier-Duberry HT), Nelson (Nwaneri HT), Bandeira (Oulad-M’Hand HT), Lewis-Skelly (Henry-Francis HT)

Watford: Bachmann (Hamer HT), Ngakia (Morris HT), Porteous (Pollock HT), Hoedt (Kabasele 55), Ferreira (Andrews HT), Sierralta (Forde 55), Louza (Trialist 55), Koné (Dele-Bashiru HT), Martins (Baah 55), Sema (Kalu 55), Bayo (Healey 55)