Full-time: Bristol City 1 Watford 1

Once considered a fortress, Ashton Gate is fast becoming a happy hunting ground for visiting teams.

Less than convincing on home soil this season, Bristol City went into this game in search of only their third win in 10 Championship games in BS3.

And the three points appeared to be theirs' for the taking when Nicky Maynard netted his fourth goal of the season to give the Robins the lead with 19 minutes remaining.

But City fans suffered another night of frustration as hard-working Watford came from behind to snatch a share of the spoils.

Cheers turned to groans as Tommy Smith lashed in an equaliser from the edge of the penalty area – less than 60 seconds after Maynard's goal had created daylight between the two sides.

In truth, Watford were worthy of a point. Eager to impress new manager Brendan Rodgers, who watched proceedings from high up in the Williams Stand, the visitors defended in depth and broke in numbers to cause their hosts problems for much of the night.

Yet City held firm and Maynard put them in front with a clinical finish to raise hopes of making up lost ground on those teams currently occupying the play-off positions.

Unfortunately for the home side, a momentary lapse in concentration cost them dear.

City boss Gary Johnson had promised changes following heavy defeat at Crystal Palace and proved as good as his word, dropping Liam Fontaine, Dele Adebola and Gavin Williams to the bench and leaving out Bradley Orr altogether.

As expected, Louis Carey and Jamie McAllister returned to bolster a defence which had leaked 10 goals in four games, while Nicky Maynard and Stern John became the latest strikers to be charged with the task of forging an effective attacking partnership as the manager abandoned his previous deployment of a lone striker.

Having demanded an improved performance, Johnson must have been satisfied by the manner in which his revamped side set about the job in hand. They certainly started as though they meant business and Maynard was inches off target when attempting a flamboyant overhead kick from the edge of the penalty area, while John extracted additional spring to meet Michael McIndoe's floated cross with a downward header which flashed across the face of goal.

Regarded as a one dimensional outfit prone to overuse of the long-ball throughout Adie Boothroyd's tenure, Watford are learning new tricks under caretaker Malky Mackay. Physically robust and direct in the extreme on their last visit to Ashton Gate in March, the Hornets proved more aesthetically pleasing on this occasion and threatened to draw first blood with an incisive move which culminated in Hungarian striker Tamas Priskin latching onto a return pass from Tommy Smith and shooting narrowly wide with City's defence at full-stretch.

Jon Harley then squandered a golden opportunity to put the visitors in front, directing his shot straight at Adriano Basso after being set free by an angled pass from Priskin which left right-back Brian Wilson in no-man's land.

Wilson made amends moments later, disregarding personal safety to launch himself at the ball and effect a desperate goal-line clearance after Jobi McAnuff's angled shot had beaten Basso at his near post.

Marvin Elliott was next to save Bristol City's bacon, not to mention Basso's blushes, extending his long legs to clear under pressure from Priskin after the Brazilian keeper had fumbled Smith's cross from the right.

Having soaked up intense pressure, City broke out and almost took the lead seven minutes before half-time, the lively Maynard standing the ball up for McIndoe, whose flying volley from six yards lacked the control to make Scott Loach work, clearing the cross bar and arcing into the Atyeo Stand.

John did manage to hit the target from close range in City's next attack, only for his effort to be invalidated by a linesman's offside flag.

City emerged for the second half with renewed purpose and mustered their first on-target shot of the night when Jamie McCombe met Lee Johnson's away-swinging corner with a sweetly-struck volley. Unfortunately for the home side, Priskin was perfectly positioned on the goal-line to hack the ball clear.

Johnson then popped up at the far post to meet David Noble's deep cross with a rising shot which failed to trouble Loach.

Desperate for a breakthrough, City manager Johnson made a double substitution in the 70th minute, withdrawing Noble and McIndoe and introducing Gavin Williams and Lee Trundle respectively.

If his intention was to force the issue, it worked. The new arrivals had been on the pitch barely a minute when John's header sent Maynard scampering through on goal to lift the ball over keeper Loach.

But the lead proved short-lived, the Hornets launching a swift counter-attack which culminated in leading scorer Smith beating Basso with a fine strike from 20 yards which flew into the bottom right hand corner to restore parity.

Johnson responded to this setback by replacing his son, Lee, with Dele Adebola and going for broke with three strikers for the final 15 minutes.

City pressed forward in search of a late winner and John twice squandered half chances as time ran out for the home side.

Bristol City (4-4-2): Basso; B Wilson, Carey, McCombe, McAllister; Noble (sub Williams 70), Elliott, Johnson (sub Adebola 76), McIndoe (sub Trundle 70); Maynard, John.

Watford (4-4-2): Loach; Mariappa, Ward (sub Bromby 88), DeMerit, Doyley; McAnuff (O'Toole 78), Williamson, Jenkins, Harley; Smith, Priskin (sub Hoskins 88).

Referee: Rob Shoebridge (Derbyshire)

Attendance: 15,551