Coventry City 2 - 2 Watford

[dutchman]

Coventry battle back to draw with Watford



Ben Sheaf moved Coventry City to within three points of the Championship play-off places by scoring a second-half equaliser against fellow promotion hopefuls Watford.

The Sky Blues also appeared to be controversially denied the chance to complete their fightback from 2-0 down with a late penalty, as shouts for a foul by Hassane Kamara on Brooke Norton-Cuffy were ignored.

An excellent run and finish from Joao Pedro for his 10th goal of the season gave Watford the perfect start, and Imran Louza doubled the advantage before the break with a cool finish after his initial attempt was blocked.

Matty Godden pulled a goal back with a sublimely curled shot that snuck inside the far post, before Sheaf turned home an effort from close range to set up a tense finish that was to be defined by the penalty decision.

Watford's failure to leave Coventry with maximum points after looking comfortable at 2-0 up will hurt their chances of reaching the play-offs, as a run of just two wins from 14 games now leaves them six points adrift of the top six with five games to play.

A point for Coventry keeps them in touch of the play-offs, having now lost just once in 12 games.

Watford boss Chris Wilder made six changes following Friday's defeat by relegation-threatened Huddersfield, with Britt Assombalonga among those to come in as he made his first start since returning to the club after almost a decade in January.

An expertly-delivered long diagonal ball from Ryan Porteous, which Assombalonga cleverly let run into the path of Pedro, set the Brazilian up for a brilliant opening goal.

He raced into space and then cut back inside Kyle McFadzean at the top of the box before finding the bottom corner with a well-placed finish.

But Assombalonga's influence lasted only a few minutes more as he was forced off with an apparent hamstring injury.

It took a crucial save from Watford goalkeeper Ben Hamer to deny Gustavo Hamer, who carved out Coventry's best chance of the first half soon after.

Good work from Ismaila Sarr on the right teed Louza up for Watford's second in injury time at the end of the first half, although the Moroccan needed two attempts before finding the back of the net.

Louza tested Coventry goalkeeper Ben Wilson with a dipping shot early in the second half and, after Sheaf dragged an attempt across the face of goal for the hosts, Godden curled home brilliantly to reduce the deficit just before the hour mark.

Coventry had a penalty appeal ignored as they searched for an equaliser, with Viktor Gyokeres going down in the area and drawing an angry reaction from his marker Leandro Bacuna.

While Sheaf wasted a free header to level in the 67th minute, he made no mistake five minutes later when he turned home a low cross - which was helped on by Gyokeres - from point-blank range.

Watford's Pedro sent a header over the bar and Coventry also threated to find a winner as late chances piled up, but attention will undoubtedly be on referee Keith Stroud's decision not to award the hosts a penalty when Norton-Cuffy was clumsily brought down in the box.

Coventry boss Mark Robins told BBC CWR:

"Rubbish first half, brilliant second. We gave ourselves a mountain to climb: we can't allow that to happen against any team, but especially a team like them, with speed merchants up front. We opened up straightaway and allowed them to run behind us. We weren't catching them.

"They end up with a goal after six minutes and you're 1-0 down against a really top-quality set of players. We had decent chances during the first half to get back into it. We conceded the second one just before half-time which was really, really poor.

"The next goal was really important. Matty Godden deserved it because of his work-rate. It was a brilliant finish. The intensity went up and we controlled the game.

"The lesson is not to fear anything. The fact we're anywhere near the play-offs - everyone deserves an unbelievable amount of credit."

[dutchman]

Determined fight-back earns vital point for Sky Blues



Coventry City came from two goals down to take a point against Watford and keep their faint play-off hopes alive in an entertaining Easter Monday clash at the CBS Arena.

Second half goals from Matty Godden and Ben Sheaf cancelled out the Hornets’ first half advantage taken by Joao Pedro and Imran Louza.

Despite enjoying plenty of the early possession, Coventry were picked off by an early Watford counter attack from right to left that saw Ryan Porteous sent Pedro through to beat Ben Wilson with a precise finish to give the visitors the sixth minute lead.

Gus Hamer went close to getting City back on level terms in the 14th minute with an angled shot which goalkeeper Ben Hamer parried away with a firm hand, before Josh Eccles lifted a 25-yard effort narrowly over the bar.

The Sky Blues huffed and puffed in the final third and struggled to hit the target before the Hornets doubled their lead just before the break when Louza converted a rebound with a well placed shot from the edge of the box.

Chris Wilder’s men pushed for a third during an intense spell of pressure at the start of the second half but Viktor Gyokeres played Godden down the left and the striker turned onto his right foot and scored with a lovely curling effort that completely baffled the keeper as it dropped inside the far post to get City back in the game.

Sheaf then passed up the opportunity to level the scores when he headed a Josh Wilson-Esbrand cross over the bar with all the goal to aim at, but the midfielder made no mistake in the 72nd minute when he converted at the far post from a Callum Doyle centre, flicked on by Godden.

The Sky Blues continued to push for a winner with Hamer testing the keeper at the death City but couldn’t find a way through, having to settle for a single point.

[dutchman]

I fail to see how dropping two crucial points at home is cause for celebration?