Andre Gray opened the scoring with his third goal in six Premier League games this season
Watford had to settle for a draw at Fulham after Aleksandar Mitrovic struck late on to earn the hosts a point.
The Hornets punished a poor start by Fulham as Andre Gray sidefooted home inside 90 seconds and the visitors, who won their first four Premier League games of the season, dominated the first half.
Gray was denied by Fulham goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli either side of the break and Watford paid for their wasted chances as an improved second-half performance by the hosts saw them draw level through Mitrovic's equaliser on 78 minutes.
The Serb twice went close to claiming a late winner for the Cottagers, including a header against the crossbar, although that would have been hard on Watford, who had looked well on course to return to winning ways after losing to Manchester United last Saturday.
Despite Fulham missing out on only their second league win since returning to the top flight, their coach Slavisa Jokanovic will be encouraged by the way his side tightened up after the break.
Fulham defence in disarray
Fulham's Alfie Mawson had a passing accuracy of 69%, lost six of his nine duels and was booked before being substituted at half-time
Jokanovic, who left Watford shortly after leading them into the Premier League in 2015, has named a different back four for each game this season and it showed as their defence was again in disarray in the first half.
The Cottagers have the worst defensive record in the league and for the second week running they conceded inside two minutes.
They had four chances to clear following a tame throw-in from the left before Will Hughes pounced on the loose ball on the edge of the box and played in Gray, who slotted into the bottom corner for his third goal of the season.
Watford defender Christian Kabasele then had a free run at Jose Holebas' inswinging corner and only an inadvertent block by Ryan Sessegnon stopped Kabasele's six-yard header making it 2-0.
Alfie Mawson's header back to Bettinelli was then cut out by Gray, with Mawson relieved to see Gray's shot loop behind off his keeper.
Mawson also misjudged a long ball by Ben Foster, allowing Roberto Pereyra to run into the box and curl just wide of the far post.
The summer signing from Swansea was booked before surviving a penalty appeal for a clumsy sliding challenge on Hughes, and Jokanovic put Mawson out of his misery by making a double substitution at half-time.
Consistency key for Watford
Watford coach Javi Gracia had the luxury of naming an unchanged team for the sixth Premier League game running and the Hornets played like a settled side.
Organised at the back and comfortable on the ball in midfield, they also had the outlet of in-form strike pair Gray and Troy Deeney, who held the ball up for their supporting team-mates as well as proving a constant menace to centre-halves Mawson and Calum Chambers.
One of the few scares they had in the first half was when Andre Schurrle found Luciano Vietto on the counter-attack and his shot was saved by Ben Foster before the Argentine curled the rebound wide.
Fulham carried a greater threat after the interval, with Mitrovic heading over from a Schurrle cross, while Watford had opportunities to kill the game off, with Bettinelli stopping Gray's low shot.
But the Cottagers drew level as Vietto squared for Mitrovic to tap in his fifth goal of the season from four yards.
Watford substitute Isaac Success was then denied by Bettinelli before Mitrovic forced Foster to turn a shot wide and, from the resulting corner, the former Newcastle striker almost claimed a stoppage-time winner as he powered a header against the woodwork.
More to follow.
-
Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text
Line-ups
Fulham
1Bettinelli
21Fosu-MensahBooked at 32mins
26MawsonBooked at 30minsSubstituted forOdoiat 45'minutes
5Chambers
3R Sessegnon
8JohansenSubstituted forZambo Anguissaat 64'minutes
6McDonaldSubstituted forAyitéat 45'minutes
24Seri
19Vietto
9Mitrovic
14Schürrle
Substitutes
4Odoi
11Ayité
20Le Marchand
22Christie
25Rico
29Zambo Anguissa
47Kamara
Watford
26Foster
2Janmaat
15Cathcart
27Kabasele
25HolebasBooked at 58mins
16Doucouré
29Capoue
19HughesSubstituted forFemeníaat 70'minutes
37PereyraSubstituted forSemaat 90'minutes
18GraySubstituted forSuccessat 80'minutes
9Deeney
Substitutes
1Gomes
6Mariappa
10Success
11Masina
12Sema
14Chalobah
21Femenía
Referee:
Martin Atkinson
Attendance:
23,418
Match Stats
Home TeamFulhamAway TeamWatford
Possession
Home61%
Away39%
Shots
Home15
Away11
Shots on Target
Home3
Away6
Corners
Home8
Away8
Fouls
Home11
Away9
Live Text
Posted at
Match ends, Fulham 1, Watford 1.
Full TimePosted at 90'+4'
Second Half ends, Fulham 1, Watford 1.
Posted at 90'+3'
Foul by Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham).
Posted at 90'+3'
Christian Kabasele (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 90'+3'
Corner, Fulham. Conceded by Daryl Janmaat.
Posted at 90'+2'
Offside, Fulham. Calum Chambers tries a through ball, but Aleksandar Mitrovic is caught offside.
Posted at 90'+1'
Attempt missed. Isaac Success (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
SubstitutionPosted at 90'
Substitution, Watford. Ken Sema replaces Roberto Pereyra.
Posted at 90'
Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) hits the bar with a header from the right side of the six yard box. Assisted by Jean Michael Seri with a cross following a corner.
Posted at 89'
Corner, Fulham. Conceded by Ben Foster.
Posted at 89'
Attempt saved. Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Luciano Vietto.
Posted at 86'
Offside, Fulham. Ryan Sessegnon tries a through ball, but André Schürrle is caught offside.
Posted at 85'
Corner, Watford. Conceded by Marcus Bettinelli.
Posted at 85'
Attempt saved. Isaac Success (Watford) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Abdoulaye Doucouré.
Posted at 83'
Offside, Watford. José Holebas tries a through ball, but Roberto Pereyra is caught offside.
Posted at 80'
Offside, Watford. Ben Foster tries a through ball, but Isaac Success is caught offside.
SubstitutionPosted at 80'
Substitution, Watford. Isaac Success replaces Andre Gray.
Posted at 79'
Foul by Luciano Vietto (Fulham).
Posted at 79'
Craig Cathcart (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal!Posted at 78'
Goal! Fulham 1, Watford 1. Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Luciano Vietto.
Posted at 78'
Attempt blocked. André Schürrle (Fulham) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jean Michael Seri.
Posted at 76'
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Posted at 75'
Delay in match Ryan Sessegnon (Fulham) because of an injury.
Posted at 74'
Corner, Watford. Conceded by Timothy Fosu-Mensah.
Posted at 73'
Attempt blocked. Calum Chambers (Fulham) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by André-Frank Zambo Anguissa.
Posted at 73'
Attempt missed. André-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Fulham) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left following a corner.
Posted at 72'
Corner, Fulham. Conceded by Kiko Femenía.
Posted at 72'
Attempt blocked. André Schürrle (Fulham) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jean Michael Seri.
SubstitutionPosted at 70'
Substitution, Watford. Kiko Femenía replaces Will Hughes.
Posted at 69'
Foul by André-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Fulham).
Posted at 69'
Troy Deeney (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 67'
Offside, Fulham. Timothy Fosu-Mensah tries a through ball, but Aleksandar Mitrovic is caught offside.
Posted at 66'
Attempt missed. Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Jean Michael Seri with a cross following a corner.
Posted at 66'
Corner, Fulham. Conceded by Christian Kabasele.
Posted at 65'
Attempt missed. Troy Deeney (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Will Hughes.
SubstitutionPosted at 64'
Substitution, Fulham. André-Frank Zambo Anguissa replaces Stefan Johansen.
Posted at 63'
Attempt blocked. Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by André Schürrle.
Posted at 63'
Attempt missed. José Holebas (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Posted at 61'
Corner, Fulham. Conceded by Daryl Janmaat.
Posted at 61'
Attempt blocked. Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Timothy Fosu-Mensah with a cross.
Show more updates
goal
Source: bbc.com