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  • Kick-off: 15:00
  • Venue: Vicarage Road Stadium
  • Attendance: 17188
  • Referee: Deadman, D

Live Commentary

90 mins

That's it, it's all over, the referee has blown the final whistle.

89 mins

Julian Gray is being taken off, Kevin Thornton has come on in his place.

86 mins

Lloyd Doyley is being taken off, Jay DeMerit has come on in his place.

82 mins

The referee has booked Danny Shittu.

82 mins

Jobi McAnuff is being taken off, Jordan Stewart has come on in his place.

82 mins

Nathan Ellington is replaced by Adrian Mariappa.

79 mins

Goal!! Watford have scored with Tommy Smith putting it in the back of the net.

72 mins

Robbie Simpson is being taken off, Zavon Hines has come on in his place.

59 mins

Goal!! Coventry have scored with Leon Best putting it in the back of the net.

46 mins

The second half is under way with the score currently at 1 v 0.

46 mins

Richard Duffy is being taken off, Michael Mifsud has come on in his place.

45 mins

The ref has blown his whistle for half time.

7 mins

Goal!! Nathan Ellington scores for Watford.

0 mins

It's 3pm on Saturday, April 5th, the match has kicked off.

Match Report

Watford are back in the heart of the genuine five-horse race for automatic promotion, while Coventry City are still looking nervously over their shoulders at the other end of the table, after Tommy Smith's goal ten minutes from time lifted the Hornets back within two points of top spot.

It looked like Aidy Boothroyd's men, without a win in their last eight, would have to settle for another draw after Leon Best cancelled out Nathan Ellington's early opener. But Smith kept his head to capitalise on a defensive lapse to hand Watford only a third home league win since mid-October.

The home side got off to the perfect start in the seventh minute, and it was a moment of some satisfaction for Ellington, who had gone almost two months without a goal.

Smith won a second ball towards the right side of the Coventry area and played it inside to the Hornets' record signing, who, after one touch, took aim and fired a left-footed daisy-cutter inside Kasper Schmeichel's near post from 20 yards.

Boosted by making the breakthrough, the Hornets looked the most likely of the sides to add to the scoring in the first half, and Schmeichel did well to parry a John-Joe O'Toole thunderbolt from 20 yards before Smith fired a great opportunity wide after some neat interplay between Ellington and Lee Williamson.

In between times, the Sky Blues created their only decent opening of the first period when Robbie Simpson glanced a Stephen Hughes free-kick narrowly wide.

The consistent failure to retain possession was a feature of Watford's play throughout though, and it was from one such breakdown in play that enabled the visitors to get back on terms in the 59th minute.

Michael Doyle had time to pick out Julian Gray on the left and he sent over a fine, deep cross which Best rose well to head home the equaliser.

But with ten minutes remaining it was a Coventry lapse that gave the home side the chance to claim a vital three points - and they took it.

A long Richard Lee clearance was flicked on by Ellington, but Scott Dann misjudged the bounce of the ball and could only help it into the path of Smith, and he kept his head to lift it over the advancing Schmeichel.

Defeat was a shade harsh on Coventry, but while their opponents can realistically dream of an instant return to the top-flight, Chris Coleman's men still have very real concerns at the other end of the table.

Watford Team

Coventry City Team

Watford

Coventry City

Corners

8 3

Fouls

14 8

Goal attempts

8 7

Shots off target

4 4

Offsides

1 6

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