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However, Gary Taylor-Fletcher bundled Blackpool level for a third time with six minutes left, before setting up Gow's dramatic winner.
Early goals have become a regular feature of Watford's matches and this one was no different as the Hornets struck after just four minutes.
A superb back-heel from Grzegorz Rasiak split the visitors' back-line and put John-Joe O'Toole and Will Hoskins both in on goal, the latter won the race and calmly steered the ball beyond Paul Rachubka to it 1-0.
Hoskins was unlucky not to net a second soon after when he hit a post and Rasiak also put a good opportunity wide, before Blackpool equalised in the 18th minute.
Claus Jorgensen struck a free-kick from a central position 20 yards out straight into the Watford wall, but the ball rebounded to Keith Southern, who struck a first-time left-footed low drive beyond the dive of keeper Richard Lee to level.
However, the Hornets were back in front nine minutes before the interval in straightforward fashion.
Jon Harley whipped in a free-kick from right of centre and Rasiak pulled off his man at the back post and sent a looping back and beyond Rachubka to net for the second time in three matches.
However, the visitors were back on terms for a second time 11 minutes after the restart when Lee was wrong-footed by Burgess' rising left-footed drive from the edge of the area and was beaten at his near post.
The scorer turned from hero to villain though, on 67 minutes when he clumsily bundled over John Eustace in the area and Smith atoned for his penalty miss against Wolves last weekend by comfortably beating Rachubka.
But, almost predictably, Watford were undone for a third time with six minutes remaining when they made a complete mess of dealing with a cross from the left and Taylor-Fletcher headed in via a post.
And deep into injury-time, Taylor-Fletcher turned provider for Gow, who kept his head to beat Lee with a low cross-shot.