Coventry City had to settle for a point after taking a deserved lead at Watford, only to succumb to a second half fight-back from the in-form Championship side.
Ellis Simms gave City the early lead when he got his head to a fourth minute Jack Rudoni corner to set the tone for a dominant and determined first-half display at Vicarage Road.
The Sky Blues took the game to the Hornets, creating nine attempts on goal and four on target to go in on top at the break, albeit lucky at the other end where the home side were guilty of missing two gilt-edged chances to score.
Oliver Dovin made two decent saves early in the second half as Tom Cleverley’s men launched a determined fight-back and eventually got their rewards when Tom Dele-Bashiru thumped home at the far post from a Giorgi Chakvetadze cross in the 67th minute.
Coventry then went agonisingly close to restoring their lead when substitute Haji Wright threw himself at a far post cross from Mason-Clark and headed onto the woodwork.
Confidently punched clear an early Watford corner and saved a close range header from Bayo, albeit virtually straight at him, in the opening 35 minutes in an otherwise quiet first half. Pushed wide a far post header from Pollock and then tipped a shot from Larouci over with a terrific save. A safe pair of hands amid late pressure.
JOEL LATIBEAUDIERE: 6
Switched across to right-back and defended reasonably well in the first half when City dominated much of the play and created more chances. Needed to get tighter to cut out Watford’s wide men who threatened on occasions. Went off injured just after the hour, replaced by Haji.
BOBBY THOMAS: 6.5
Restored to the starting line-up and played on the front foot, making a really positive and determined start to the game as he read the game well and won his headers. Got a touch to a deep free kick floated into the Watford box but couldn’t direct it on target. Defended well overall.
LIAM KITCHING: 6
Returned to make his first start in the league and did OK overall, albeit looking a bit sluggish at times against Watford’s quick forward line. Showed plenty of aggression in his heading and challenges.
JAY DASILVA: 6
Slotted in at left-back and made a terrific tackle to win the ball off Edo Kayembe, who threatened to cut into the box on a positive return to the side, and made a really good block to cut out a cross on another counter attack. Decent return.
JOSH ECCLES: 6.5
Tried his luck with a shot from just out side the box and was disappointed when a rebound fell straight to him but he hit a first time shot over the bar when all he had to do was get it on target. Made a brilliantly timed tackle in the box to dispossess Bayo.
VICTOR TORP: 7.5
Sent in decent flag kick deliveries from the left and played some decent long passes in an attempt to play Simms in behind. Made good use of the ball when he had it and worked hard out of possession to win it back. Showed good leadership, talking and instructing those around him at times.
MILAN VAN EWIJK: 7
Pushed up to play wide on the right in place of the injured Sakamoto and looked lively from the first whistle, getting forward on the attack and sending in some threatening balls to the box. Tracked back and defended well when required. Caused Watford all manner of problems in the first 45. Moved back to right-back when Latibeaudiere went off injured. Unable to stop the cross for the equaliser.
JACK RUDONI: 7.5
Send in a lovely delivery for Simms to open the scoring from a fourth minute corner and sent in a good ball for an early Mason-Clark chance. Had a first half header headed wide as the midfielder was involved in the thick of City’s attacking action in a really encouraging first half. Set up by Wright in the second half when his shot was blocked in the six yard box. Cut in and looked like he was going to score the winner, only for the keeper to get a touch.
EPHRON MASON-CLARK: 7
Got into really good spaces out wide on the left and drifted into the box at the far post where he had two really good chances in the first 25 minutes, getting on the end of crosses and being denied by the keeper and putting one on the roof of the net. Sent in a superb cross for Haji, only for the USA star to head onto the post.
ELLIS SIMMS: 7
Got on the end of a Rudoni corner and headed onto the far post and into the net to give City the early lead and looked a threat when getting in behind, being denied by the keeper on one occasion and tackled on another. Well marshalled by Sierralta who denied him running free on goal a couple of times.
SUBSTITUTES
HAJI WRIGHT (65 mins, for the injured Latibeaudiere): 6
Set up Rudoni for a chance with virtually his first touches of the ball and offered a renewed threat down the left. Sent a diving free header onto the far post as it looked like City were about to restore their lead.
BRANDON THOMAS-ASANTE (85 mins, for Mason-Clark): 5.5
Made a lively contribution when he went on.
SUBS (not used): Ben Wilson (GK), Luis Binks, Jake Bidwell, Jamie Allen, Fabio Tavares, Norman Bassette, Kai Andrews.
WATFORD (3-4-2-1): Daniel Bachmann; Francisco Sierralta, Ryan Porteous, Mattie Pollock; Ryan Andrews (63 mins, for Festy Ebosele), Moussa Sissoko, Tom Dele-Bashiru, Yasser Larouci (63 mins, for Ken Sema); Edo Kayembe, Giorgi Chakvetadze (80 mins, for Rocco Vata); Vakoun Bayo (63 mins, for Daniel Jebbison).
SUBS (not used): Jonathan Bond (GK), Tom Ince, Pierre Dwomoh, Mamadou Doumbia, James Morris.
GOALS
Leave a Reply