Bristol City 2 Watford 2: Accustomed to last-gasp calamity, long-suffering City supporters could see it coming.

An alarming habit of conceding late goals was already a recurring theme in City's season before Watford put an injury-time spanner in the works in this Bank Holiday fixture at Ashton Gate.

Given that Preston, Scunthorpe, Peterborough, Sheffield United and Reading had previously delivered a dagger to City hearts when scoring equalising goals deep into time added on, it scarcely came as a surprise when Watford added their names to a growing list of late failures which is threatening to scupper the club's Coca-Cola Championship play-off aspirations.

Danny Haynes put the Robins in front, Ton Cleverley equalised and Paul Hartley restored the home side's lead all in the space of eight minutes at the end of the first half.

Although centre-back Lewin Nyatanga was sent off after receiving a second yellow card, City's 10 men successfully held out for the final 21 minutes of normal time, at which point Ashton Gate's biggest crowd of the season no doubt sensed a first home win since Plymouth Argyle were beaten here two months ago.

But the five minutes of added time signalled by the fourth official proved too much for a team beset by nerves and, sure enough, the inevitable equaliser materialised just seconds before the end, Watford skipper John Eustace popping up at the far post to stab the ball over the line after the massed ranks of Bristol defence had failed to deal with a cross.

The sense of Deja-vu was overpowering and home fans, unable to hide their disappointment, vented their anger on manager Gary Johnson as the players trooped off after the final whistle.

City's inability to defend a lead during the closing stages has now cost them 12 points in a season which is rapidly failing to live up to expectations.

Johnson had earlier challenged his players to display greater enterprise and attacking verve in the final third of the pitch, but his words appeared to have fallen on deaf ears as the game descended into stalemate.

It could have been a very different scenario had David Clarkson not shot high and wide when presented with a clear sight of goal by Nicky Maynard's astute pass in only the second minute.

Thereafter, chances were in short supply for a City side which appeared to become more anxious the longer the game went without them scoring.

In fact, Watford looked far more likely candidates to break the deadlock and Heidar Helguson thought he had indeed put the visitors in front when bundling the ball into the net on the half hour mark, only for his celebration to be cut short by a linesman's offside flag.

As it was, Robins keeper Dean Gerken still had to make a smart save to keep out a stinging drive from Arsenal youngster Henri Lansbury as the home side continued to be pushed back.

When it finally arrived, Haynes' fourth goal of the season brought much-needed relief to Ashton Gate's biggest crowd of the campaign. Making amends for his former miss, Clarkson picked out the former Ipswich man with a deft chip from the left side of the penalty area and the ball sat up invitingly for the striker to score with a thunderous volley from 15 yards out.

City fans have become accustomed to seeing their side pegged back at Ashton Gate and it probably came as little surprise when Watford restored parity six minutes later. Jamie McAllister's headed clearance lacked the distance to evade Cleverley, who returned the ball with interest, beating Gerken all ends up withy a sweetly-struck right-footed volley from just inside the 18 yard box.

If Bristolians suddenly felt anxiety coursing through their veins, it proved short-lived as Hartley restored the home side's lead in time added on at the end of the first half.

Having put the visitors level, loan signing Cleverley blotted his copybook when bringing down Marvin Elliott in a central position 15 yards from his own goal.

Scottish international Hartley made him pay dearly, displaying admirable technique to curl the free kick beyond Scott Loach's despairing dive and into the top left-hand corner of the net. It was a set-piece goal every bit as startling as the one he scored in a losing cause against West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns last month.

City again had the ball in the net early in the second half, Clarkson racing onto Maynard's threaded through ball and sliding his shot between Loach and the far post. But the Scot was adjudged offside.

Denied the comfort of a two-goal cushion, City betrayed their fragile confidence by failing to retain possession and retreating in the face of a growing threat from Watford.

Encouraged by City's timidity, the visitors poured forward and Gerken was forced to come to his team's rescue, hurling himself full length to keep out Don Cowie's rasping drive from 18 yards.

Try as they might, City could not force the third goal which would have afforded them breathing space and Haynes and Maynard were both guilty of directing close-range efforts straight at Loach.

If that brought pressure to bear, so too did the second yellow card which cut short Nyatanga's involvement in the 69th minute. Cautioned in the first half for a late challenge on Cleverley, the Welsh international then felled Lansbury with a crude tackle, leaving referee James Linington with no option but to issue a second yellow card followed by a red.

Forced to reorganise, manager Johnson sacrificed Clarkson, sent on Liam Fontaine and reverted to a 4-4-1 formation with Maynard as a lone striker in a bid to hold onto the narrowest of leads.

City (4-3-3): Gerken; Orr, Carey, Nyatanga, McAllister; Skuse, Hartley, Elliott; Haynes (Sproule 86), Maynard (Saborio 89), Clarkson (Fontaine 69).

Watford (4-4-2): Loach; Doyley, DeMerit, Mariappa, Hodson (Henderson 86); Cleverley, Eustace, Lansbury (Harley 73), Don Cowie; Helguson, Graham.

Referee: James Linington (Isle of Wight)

Attendance: 16,035