FOOTBALL – Coventry City beat 10-man Watford to extend unbeaten run and stay top of Championship table
COVENTRY City extended their unbeaten run to 12 matches with a 3-1 win against 10-man Watford to remain top of the Championship table.
Early goals from Brandon Thomas-Asante and Jamie Allen stunned the visitors before Tatsuhiro Sakamoto extended the home side’s lead shortly before half time at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
Watford had James Abankwah sent off before the break although Imran Louza reduced the deficit from the penalty spot in the second half for the visitors.
The victory keeps Coventry top of the Championship table with the Sky Blues unbeaten in their opening 12 league matches.
Watford spurned a golden chance to take the lead inside the opening few minutes as Rocco Vata raced through on goal only for Carl Rushworth to stay big and make a crucial save.
And Coventry broke the deadlock with the very next attack on three minutes when Thomas-Asante glanced home Sakamoto’s cross from the right.
The Sky Blues doubled their lead just four minutes later as Allen lashed a loose ball into the bottom left corner after Watford failed to deal with Milan van Ewijk’s long throw into the box from the left.
In a frantic opening 10 minutes, Mamadou Doumbia then saw his flick from a dangerous free-kick blocked on the line by Bobby Thomas.
Watford continued to come forward as Rushworth superbly tipped Louza’s low effort from distance behind for a corner diving low down to his left.
The visitors went close again as Liam Kitching blocked Vata’s goalbound effort before Rushworth acrobatically tipped Edo Kayembe’s powerful effort behind with the ball destined for the top left corner.
At the other end, van Ewijk almost extended Coventry’s lead when he embarked on a solo run from inside his own half to the Watford penalty area only to shoot inches past the post.
And Watford immediately spirned a chance of their own at the other end as Rushworth made a sprawling stop to deny Vata again when one-on-one.
The Sky Blues punished Watford on 42 minutes when Sakamoto controlled a loose ball before curling a low effort into the bottom right corner from 20-yards out.
The visitors then had Abankwah sent off one minute before the break after he brought down Haji Wright just outside the penalty area.
After the break, Thomas-Asante saw his low effort from distance tipped behind by Watford goalkeeper Egil Selvik.
However, the Hornets reduced the deficit on 69 minutes when Louza scored from the penalty spot after Rushworth fouled substitute Vivaldo Semedo in the box.
Rushworth denied both Nestory Irankunda and Semedo late on as the Sky Blues maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign.
