Coventry City came from behind three times to take a single point in a game littered with defensive errors from both sides.

Matty Godden passed up the perfect chance to give his side the lead from the penalty spot after a 20th minute handball, which resulted in the striker hitting his spot-kick down the middle at chest height and being denied by the firm hand of goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann.

Watford then took the lead against the run of play when Tom Ince drilled the ball in from the right and striker Mileta Rajovic struck home with 35 minutes on the clock. But City were back on level terms six minutes later when Milan van Ewijk hit a stunning 30-yard free-kick that had the power and accuracy to beat the keeper.

The Hornets then restored their lead early in the second half when Matteus Martins ran down the left flank, cut inside and curled a shot round Ben Wilson. But the visitors shot themselves in the foot in the 64th minute when centre-back Wesley Hoedt hit a back-pass to his keeper but left him stretching as the ball rolled inside the near post.

However, there was dreadful defending at the other end 11 minutes from time when Bobby Thomas under hit a backpass to Wilson and Bayo nipped in and played it to Rajovic to slot home into an empty net.

Coventry then got back on level terms for a third time when Wright got to the byline and pulled the ball back for Godden who ran onto it and steered it home past the goalkeeper as the game ended 3-3.

Invited pressure on himself with a mis-placed pass straight to a Watford shirt in the seventh minute, resulting in Tom Ince being gifted his side’s first chance of the game. Had no chance to deny Rajovic from close range and well beaten by an accurate curling shot for the second. Made a good save to his left to deny Louza from a free-kick on the edge of the box. Had no chance with the third after being exposed by his defenders.

BOBBY THOMAS: 5

Coped well amid some early Watford pressure but had his work cut out at times as City looked vulnerable. A fault for the third goal and Watford’s winner when he played a poor backpass to Wilson that was intercepted.

KYLE McFADZEAN: 6.5

Commanding as ever at the heart of the back three against a fluid Watford forward line, Threw his body in the line as usual with blocks and headers.

JOEL LATIBEAUDIERE: 5.5

Used his pace to good effect at the back, always alert to danger and quick to mop up but allowed Rajovic to get ahead of him in the box to score Watford’s opener.

MILAN VAN EWIJK: 6.5

Caught the eye from the opening minutes when he knocked the ball past Ken Sema and left him standing to spark an early attack down the right. Scored a stunning equaliser from a 30-yard free-kick but allowed Martins to cut inside and score to restore Watford’s lead early in the second half.

JOSH ECCLES: 6

A bit sloppy in possession early one, losing the ball to spark a Watford attack and was booked for diving when he went down in the box.

BEN SHEAF: 7.5

Threw himself into a perfectly timed sliding tackle to dispossess Ryan Andrews as Watford threatened early on. Brilliant tackle late on in the box to deny Watford a stoppage time winner.

JAY DASILVA: 6

Defended well and got forward well, winning the early penalty. Went off early in the second half, presumed injured.

KASEY PALMER: 8

Continued to impress as City’s main creative force, effortlessly linking the play from back to front and trying to feed the strikers, which he did brilliantly when he played a wonderful pass for Haji Wright to run onto for a good chance.

MATTY GODDEN: 7.5

Passed up the opportunity to give City the 20th minute lead when he hit a penalty straight down the middle and saw it saved. Had a good second half effort blocked and pressed with pressure to force the backpass and own goal. Snatched a point with a well struck strike.

HAJI WRIGHT: 8.5

A real threat with his pace as he glided past Ryan Porteous to tee up Sheaf for a shot. Turned Porteous inside out in the box before having a shot blocked at the last second as he went agonisingly close to opening the scoring.

SUBSTITUTES:

JAKE BIDWELL (50 mins, for Dasilva): 6

Slotted in and did a decent job.

YASIN AYARI (70 mins, for Eccles): 6.5

Had a hand in the third goal when he played the ball to Haji who, in turn, set up Godden.

TATSUHIRO SAKAMOTO (70 mins, for van Ewijk): 4.5

Busy late cameo but sloppy backpass to Thomas in build-up to Watford’s third.

ELLIS SIMMS (89 mins, for Palmer):

Subs (not used): Brad Collins (GK), Luis Binks, Liam Kelly, Marco Rus, Justin Obikwu.

WATFORD (4-3-3): Daniel Bachmann; Ken Sema, Wesley Hoedt, Ryan Porteous, Ryan Andrews (56 mins, for Jeremy Ngakia); Imran Louza, Francisco Sierralta (75 mins , for Mattie Pollock), Tom Dele-Bashiru (56 mins, for Giorgi Chakvetadze); Matheus Martins (75 mins, for Vakoun Bayo), Mileta Rajovic, Tom Ince (56 mins, for Yaser Asprilla).

Subs (not used): Ben Hamer (GK), Jake Livermore, Ismael Kone, Edo Kayembe.

GOALS;

SKY BLUES: van Ewijk (41), Hoedt (OG 64), Godden (87)

WATFORD: Rajovic (35, 79), Martins (52)

REFEREE: David Webb

ATTENDANCE: 24,539 (1,982 away)

NEXT UP: Hull City (a), Friday, September 15 (7.45pm).