For 45 minutes, there were the signs of a Watford team that everybody hoped for this season. Then in the last half an hour came the reality of what has been the norm for the campaign.

The Hornets were quick out of the blocks, got an early goal through Pedro and then proceeded to be the better side, allowing the home side few chances and pinging the ball around with confidence and purpose.

So, when Louza smacked home the second on the stroke of half time, it actually looked like a victory was on the cards.

Watford went looking for a third after the restart to kill the game totally but, when it didn’t come, Coventry stepped things up a gear or two and, as many teams have discovered this season, it doesn’t take too much to push Watford back into their shells.

The Hornets became ragged. Their passes were inaccurate, their clearances were just hoofs and lost their shape.

The home side grew in confidence and once they pulled one back, there was an ominous feeling that an equaliser would soon follow – and so it proved.

After that the home side besieged the Watford goal and had a couple of strong penalty shouts while the Hornets looked like a team who wanted the whistle to go so they could get off the pitch with a point.

They managed that, and it was a far better performance than has been witnessed of late, but there was a win staring them in the face for the first hour.

The sad fact is, Watford currently don’t have the spirit for a fight, the nouse to get out of a tight corner or the absolute desire to dig in.

After two dismal consecutive defeats, Wilder rang the changes. Into the starting line-up came Kamara, Sarr, Bacuna, Assombalonga and Andrews, while Hamer was in goal due to Bachmann’s suspension.

Onto the bench went Kone, Sema, Cathcart and Asprilla, while neither Ngakia or Ferreira were in the squad.

This wasn’t the worst performance of the season, but having gone in at half-time with a two-goal cushion, Watford were in a position where three points were theirs to lose – and they lost two of them.

Watford made a dream start in the fifth minute. Pedro was sent racing away down the left with Assmobalonga in support. The Coventry defenders were possibly expecting a square pass but instead Pedro cut in and curled a low shot past Wilson.

Five minutes later Assombalonga went down injured and had to be replaced by Araujo – it’s a hamstring injury that will almost certainly end his season.

Hamer made a fine save to parry a Gyokeres shot in the 13th minute before Pedro headed over when he met Louza’s free-kick.

In the 17th minute Sarr broke into the box on the right and drew Wilson off his line, but then lifted his shot over the top.

Hamer had to turn miscued cross from Wilson-Ebrand round the post and then saved comfortably from Norton-Cuffy.

Right on the stroke of half time Watford made it 2-0. Sarr cut in from the right and got into the box. He smartly laid the ball off to Louza, whose first shot was blocked but he then hooked the loose ball home on the volley.

Four minutes after the break Andrews and Sarr combined to create a shooting chance for Louza, and his effort was palmed away by Wilson.

Sheaf then dragged a shot across the face of goal from a good position.

The home side pulled one back after 57 minutes, and it won’t be something Hamer will want to watch again.

Godden got into the box on the left, and checked onto his right foot. He curled a shot round Hoedt and Hamer appeared to think it is going wide, only to see it nestle in the net inside the back post.

Suddenly it was Coventyry in the ascendancy and Gyokeres hit a 25-yard drive just wide before Sheaf somehow headed over the target when he met Wilson-Ebrand’s cross unmarked in the centre of the six-yard box.

The equaliser arrived in the 70th minute. Wilson-Esbrand crossed from the left, Hamer failed to connect with a diving header but Sheaf was behind him and swept the ball home.

In the 82nd minute Coventry were screaming for a penalty as Kamara challenged Norton-Cuffey in the box. Referee Mr Stroud gave a corner. When that came in and a shot was blocked by Kamara, they screamed again for handball. Mr Stroud said no again.

Two minutes from time Hamer held Sheaf’s low drive, and the striker then fired narrowly wide after being teed up by Wilson-Ebrand.

Right at the death Hammer parried a long-range effort and Sheaf couldn’t quite connect with the loose ball.

Watford: Hamer; Choudhury, Louza, Pedro, Kamara (Sema 84), Porteous, Sarr, Bacuna (Asprilla 84), Assombalonga, Hoedt, Andrews (Cathcart 68). Subs: Roberts, Kone, Kabasele