Coventry City vs Watford. Sky Bet Championship.
The Coventry Building Society ArenaAttendance24,539.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Coventry City and Watford at the Coventry Building Society Arena as Matty Godden scored a last-minute equaliser for the Sky Blues.
Saturday 2 September 2023 18:46, UK
Coventry came from behind three times to draw 3-3 in a remarkable encounter with Watford.
Mileta Rajovic's opener was brilliantly cancelled out by Milan van Ewijk to leave the score 1-1 at half-time.
Matheus Martins and a second from Rajovic had Watford ahead twice in the second half, but Wesley Hoedt's own goal and Matt Godden's late strike salvaged a point for the Sky Blues.
The game was end to end from the off with an entertaining start from both sides.
The opener nearly came after 20 minutes when Coventry were controversially awarded a penalty with Ryan Porteous harshly adjudged to have handled the ball. Watford were reprieved when Godden's shot was saved by Daniel Bachmann.
The Hornets then made it 1-0 as Rajovic poked home Tom Ince's cross from the right-hand side.
However, The Sky Blues hit back before the break with a sensational 30-yard free-kick from Van Ewijk into the bottom left corner.
Shortly after the restart, Watford regained the lead with Martins handed a clear run down the left-hand side before curling into the opposite corner.
After 63 minutes Coventry were gifted an own goal to equalise after a dreadful back pass from Hoedt ended up in the back of the net.
Another error from Watford almost put Coventry ahead, but Haji Wright ran into trouble.
More slack defending, this time from Coventry, saw Vakoun Bayo get onto the end of a back-pass and square for Rajovic to net his second.
The Sky Blues equalised in the 87th minute as Godden thumped home a cross from Wright to atone for his earlier miss from the spot.
The result leaves both clubs with just one victory apiece from their first five Championship games.
Coventry's Mark Robins:
"There were too many decisions that we made that were wrong, but there were so many we made that were right.
"Defensively we got one or two things wrong. We became too open and ended up coming out when we shouldn't have.
"Knowing that that's the way they play, they try and suck you out to create space. They have got quality and they are rapid.
"If you want to sit in against them then fine, but you're not going anywhere and they will pin you in.
"I thought we were good, I thought we were brave and went after the game all the time. We just got things wrong defensively.
"We created some brilliant chances, the football was scintillating and the crowd were magnificent and got behind us.
"We've come back three times, but we've got to be a little bit more confident. Other than that we look at a real threat.
"Today has been a really difficult game but it's the same as we had last year, we get a point."
Watford's Valerien Ismael:
"It's a very good performance, especially when you play against 12 men with the referee," he said.
"We had meetings with the referees before the season and they showed us exactly the same situation Ryan Porteous was in and they told us it won't be a penalty.
"What is the rule? His arm is against his body so it can't be a penalty. It's very difficult to accept this but we fought well.
"The referee helped Coventry very strongly but we have a lot of positives, we scored three goals.
"Compliments to the players, I think that's a great reaction following the two games we lost.
"We come to a very tough away game at Coventry and I think naturally we were strong. Until the second goal when we conceded on our own.
"But we came back into the game and showed great mentality. We scored a great goal and played great football and we wanted to have that bravery in our game.
"The attitude of the players was really good and we continue to move forward now and adjust the mistakes."
