COVENTRY MESSAGE BOARD

The Sky Blues took a deserved share of the spoils against fifth from top Watford



Coventry City secured a hard-fought Championship point after dominating promotion chasing Watford at St Andrew’s.

The Sky Blues were impressive throughout, creating a stack of chances against the Hornets but just unable to find a clinical finish to take the full three points.

Mark Robins’s men made a lively start to the game and carved out their first chance when Sam McCallum played Max Biamou in down the left, with the lone striker sending a left footed shot across the face of goal and wide.

Watford’s first chance came from a set-piece, with winger Kem Sema firing a 25-yard free-kick well wide of Marko Marosi’s goal but the keeper had to be on his toes a minute later, back-pedalling to tip over an attempted chip from striker Andre Gray.

Gus Hamer, meanwhile, tested Daniel Bachmann at the other end with a decent header from a well-worked move that he had started with a cross-field pass to switch the play.

The home side kept up the pressure with two free-kicks in quick succession, the first of which saw Dom Hyam head narrowly wide at the far post in an impressive first half from the Sky Blues when the visitors were kept largely at arm’s length.

Biamou went agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock in the 40th minute when he got on the end of a brilliant Julien Dacosta cross at the near post but sent it inches wide.

Callum O’Hare then won the ball off full-back Jeremy Ngakia in the box and cut inside past two players to find space and hit a shot which went into the arms of the keeper.

The lively midfielder then sparked an exciting counter attack before setting the ball back for Hamer to shoot from distance, the Dutch/Brazilian sending a hard and low effort narrowly wide before the break.

Mark Robins’s men dominated the first half stats with nine attempts, two of which were on target in an impressive opening 45 that just lacked a precise finish.

Troy Deeney and his strike partner Gray got in each other’s way as Hyam mopped up as the visitors started the second half with some determined approach play.

But Hamer went close again minutes later when he broke free on the left and hit a low shot to force the keeper to save at his near post.

City suffered an injury blow just after the hour when Dacosta appeared to take an elbow in the face and had to go off, replaced by Josh Pask.

Bachmann was called into action again just short of the 70 minute mark when McCallum hit a hard and low shot to the near post while Hyam sent a header from a free-kick straight into the keeper’s hands as City continued to look the most likely side to break the deadlock.

O’Hare tested the keeper again with 12 minutes to go as City continued to push for a winner but almost lost it when Joao Pedro was denied by a good save before Deeny hooked onto the angle of the goal.

City weathered two corners in quick succession as the Hornets piled on some late pressure as both sides went looking for the three points.

Watford battle to away draw at Coventry



Watford moved up to fourth in the Championship with a battling draw against an impressive Coventry City at St Andrew's.

The Sky Blues were sharp and inventive - particularly in the first half - but wayward in front of goal and unable to make their dominance count.

Max Biamou came closest with a header that went agonisingly past the post.

Watford posed little threat throughout, with an attempted Andre Gray cross that was tipped over by Marko Marosi their most notable attempt, until Troy Deeney's header came back off the bar inside the final 10 minutes.

Coventry, whose point takes them up to 16th, remained on top after the interval with Gustavo Hamer, Sam McCallum and Dominic Hyam all guilty of wasting decent chances.

The Sky Blues, prompted by the outstanding Matty James and the lively Callum O'Hare, showed the greater intensity and threat before the break and, although they managed just two shots on target, they should have been in front.

Biamou dragged an early shot wide, Hamer and O'Hare saw efforts easily fielded by keeper Daniel Bachmann and Hyam was narrowly off target with a header from a free-kick.

But the best chance fell to Biamou, who sent a stooping header from Julien Dacosta's cross a fraction wide.

The hosts remained the more likely winners in a much more even second period against a Hornets side who finally livened up in the closing stages.

Boss Xisco Munoz had promised better things following Monday's tame 2-1 home loss against QPR - their first defeat in five matches.

But the improvement was marginal, with Deeney's clever looping header after Jamie Allen lost possession deep in his own half the best moment of a lacklustre performance.

Coventry manager Mark Robins:

"I think we've got to be pleased with the performance - if we can perform like that for the rest of the season we will be fine. They didn't really have a great deal in terms of chances because we defended really well but they are always dangerous.

"Max Biamou has led the line brilliantly for us but he's running around with a torn cartilage. He's been outstanding for us but we are three strikers down and Max is half-fit.

"It was a hard-fought point but one that really could have been so much more for us. And really, if we win that game, we are sort of heading towards mid-table. The teams above us are catchable and performances like that will help us to climb the table."