Javi Gracia rued a combination of poor finishing and ‘great saves’ for Watford returning home empty handed from a 3-1 defeat at leaders Coventry City .

The Hornets’ boss – taking charge of only his third game in charge since returning to the Vicarage Road hotseat – saw his side denied an opening goal as early as the second minute when Rocco Vata was denied by Carl Rushworth in the first of two one v one saves.

The Sky Blues then almost immediately went up the other end and scored through Brandon Thomas-Asante and added a second from the boot of Jamie Allen inside the seventh minute. Tatsuhiro Sakamoto scored a third before the break when the visitors went in a man down after defender James Abankwah was red carded for a last man foul on Haji Wright.

But an upbeat Gracia said: “From my

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