Watford were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw at home to Bristol City on a frustrating evening at Vicarage Road.
The Hornets started brightly and took the lead when Imran Louza’s stunning pass found Marc Bola to finish well in the opening stages, but were pegged back when Egil Selvik could only push Scott Twine’s free-kick into the net.
Othmane Maamma, Luca Kjerrumgaard and Kwadwo Baah all forced saves in the second half but the hosts never got into full flow and their home winning run comes to an end.
The Rookery End poppy display (Image: Alan Cozzi/Watford FC)
Before kick-off a poppy display in the Rookery End accompanied the period of remembrance.
With the game under way, City initially went close after little over 60 seconds, Scott Twine drilling wide when left in too much space from 20 yards.
Five minutes later, though, it was Watford who hit the front.
Louza’s superb pass from deep inside his own half was inch-perfect for Bola, who took it in his stride beautifully and dispatched into the net.
A period of home dominance followed as Edo Kayembe’s effort took a nick off Kevin Keben and was close to beating Radek Vitek.
Watford became sloppy, though, and were pegged back by Scott Twine’s free-kick in the 29th minute.
Selvik may feel he ought to have done better with a set-piece that swerved in the air but that he got a good hand on.
The Hornets couldn’t find the same rhythm from there, careless in possession and allowing their visitors to break too easily.
They had to defend a series of set-pieces and only threatened themselves before the break when Mamadou Doumbia’s left-footed effort from a Bola cutback was blocked.
Nestory Irankunda wasted a chance to shoot and Kjerrumgaard’s tame header was saved early in the second period, before Selvik made amends for the goal by tipping a Twine effort wide.
Bola swept into the side-netting from close range as Watford grew back into the game – but in an end-to-end period they needed their goalkeeper to save them again just after the hour mark as Armstrong raced clear but couldn’t finish.
Marc Bola opens the scoring (Image: Alan Cozzi/Watford FC)
Watford grew stronger with 20 minutes to play as Maamma forced Vitek into a save and then Kjerrumgaard tested the keeper with another header.
Moments later, substitute Baah stormed forwards and Vitek had to make yet another stop from a left-footed effort.
Baah threatened again with 13 minutes to play, latching onto Kjerrumgaard’s pass but firing his effort straight at the goalkeeper.
With fatigue clearly setting in on both sides, Watford continued to dominate the territory but couldn’t create enough.
Tom Ince had a late effort saved but the Hornets had to settle for a point.
Watford: Selvik; Alleyne (Ince 83), Keben, Pollock; Petris (Ngakia 60), Louza, Kayembe, Bola; Irankunda (Baah 60), Kjerrumgaard (Semedo 83), Doumbia (Maamma 60)