Soccer

Coventry dig deep to earn draw in Watford thriller

Matt Godden’s late goal earned a point for Coventry (Bradley Collyer/PA)
Matt Godden’s late goal earned a point for Coventry (Bradley Collyer/PA)

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.