Watford caught out as Coventry hit them on the break

The 1-0 defeat was far from Watford’s worst display of the season, but they did again suffer from failing to turn possession into clear chances.

When you have 68% of the ball and only managed two attempts on target, you know you’ve not done enough, especially when the visitors play on the break and have more efforts on goal than you.

Coventry were always a threat on the counter with Gyokeres – who scored the only goal – giving the Watford defence a torrid time.

However, had Sarr not put the ball over from a matter of yards in the closing stages then Watford would probably have got a point or maybe more.

Those are the fine margins and Watford were shown what can happen when you don’t make the most of the time you spend in the opposition half.

There is a quick chance to bounce back against Reading on Tuesday night, but it will be without both Sierralta and Kamara who will be suspended after picking up fifth bookings of the season.

Choudhury came back into the side after his one game suspension with Davis returning to the Hornet’s attack following the injury that saw him miss Watford’s last two outings.

Coventry looked for an early goal as Palmer charged forward through the middle and found Gyokeres in behind the Watford defence but his shot was high and wide.  

The Hornets were clearly looking to focus their attack down the left with Kamara and Sarr but struggled to find any end product. 

Sheaf had Bachmann stretching on the 18-minute mark with a shot from 30 yards that only narrowly missed the top left corner. Shortly after, Gyokeres cut inside into the Watford penalty area, moved past Troost-Ekong to get a shot off with his left foot, however his attempt was palmed away by the Watford number one.  

After 20 minutes Davis thought he had finally broken the deadlock after tapping it in from five yards from a pass pulled back by Sema, but the referee pulled it back for a foul just outside the box.  

There were 26 minutes on the clock when Sema forced a save down to the keeper’s right from a free kick 25 yards out.

Only three minutes later Davis found himself on the by-line 10 yards from the goal – his ball found Sarr at the back post whose left footed effort slowly drifted wide of the target. 

Ten minutes before the break, Palmer again found Gyokeres down the left side, and his shot was blocked by the leg of Troost-Ekong.

The Hornets dominated in possession in the first half but couldn’t turn this into clear chances.

Three minutes after the restart Sarr knocked it past Eccles and drove down the wing eventually putting the ball in towards Sema, who couldn’t get his shot on target. 

With 50 minutes played, Coventry’s focus of finding Gyokeres finally paid off. Allen whipped in a dangerous cross from the right into the Watford penalty area, met by the number 17 who, unmarked, was able to guide the ball into the bottom left corner and out of Bachmann’s reach.  

Five minutes later Sema put in an inviting, inswinging cross from the right that somehow made it to the back post. Davis lunged but couldn’t make any connection.

With just under 30 minutes to go, Asprilla, fresh off the bench, played in Kamara with a perfect through ball. The Hornet’s left back then picked out Sarr who, from three yards, put the ball over the bar.

With a minute to go Hungbo curled a low shot which Wilson palmed round the base of the post.

Watford threw everyone forward with only seconds left in a last attempt to snatch a goal from several Hungbo corners but couldn’t convert from these set pieces.

Watford: Bachmann; Gosling (Gaspar 64), Troost-Ekong, Sierralta, Kamara; Kayembe, Choudhury; Sema (Bayo 72), Pedro (Asprilla 64), Sarr; Davis (Hungbo 80). Subs: Kabasele, Okoye, Morris.