Reading 2-2 Watford: Royals score twice to salvage a point
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Jeff Hendrick's goal was his fourth of the season for Reading
Reading came back from 2-0 down to rescue a point at home to high-flying Watford in the Championship.
Ismaila Sarr's close-range effort put the Hornets in front after half an hour as Watford had the better of the first period.
The visitors doubled their lead shortly after the break as debutant Ryan Porteous headed in a corner, while Sarr had a third disallowed soon after for offside.
Reading earned a lifeline when Tom Ince converted from the penalty spot before Sarr had a second disallowed, only for Jeff Hendrick to volley in a late equaliser for the Royals.
Despite dropping two points Watford still move up a place to fifth in the Championship table, while Reading remain in 16th place.
Reading almost went ahead after 16 minutes as Ince's fierce low shot was saved by Daniel Bachmann.
Sarr curled a 20th-minute effort just past the post before he gave Watford the lead - a ball over the top found Henrique Araujo and he cut it back for Sarr to finish from a few inches out.
The Hornets could have been 2-0 up at the break, but Araujo blasted an effort into the side-netting after forcing his way into the box.
Joe Lumley did well to save from Sarr soon after the break, but from the resulting corner Scotland defender Porteous, who joined from Hibernian last week, took advantage of some poor marking to head home.
An offside flag prevented a second for Sarr seven minutes later, and the Royals were able to capitalise.
Shane Long got in front of Craig Cathcart and the Northern Ireland centre-back tripped the Republic of Ireland striker, with Ince smashing in his seventh goal of the season from 12 yards.
Royals substitute Femi Azeez had a volley well saved by Daniel Bachmann six minutes later before more drama, as Sarr went off celebrating thinking he had won it only for the flag to go up after the assistant felt Britt Assombalonga had impeded the goalkeeper's view of his effort.
The dust had barely settled when Hendrick got the equaliser, the Irish midfielder firing in Ince's deep corner in spectacular style.
Reading manager Paul Ince told BBC Radio Berkshire:
"Our gameplan was spot on, when we pressed we put them under pressure and for one lapse of concentration - we let a player run in behind - and before you know it you're 1-0 down.
"Then 52 minutes, a free header. You can't do it, you've got to be aggressive, you've got to stay with your men, and we don't do it and all of a sudden you're 2-0 down and you think it's going to be a long afternoon.
"They spend millions and millions on players, we haven't had that luxury, and to come back and get a point is a great achievement from my players."
Watford manager Slaven Bilic told BBC Three Counties Radio:
"Even with VAR I've seen many of those goals given, and it was a key moment in the game for us, that moment and the penalty, because we were so dominant.
"The game is never buried at 2-0, but it should be enough to be fair - we had so many situations where we should have, could have, scored the third goal and then it's game over.
"Then out of nothing we gave a penalty away, a sloppy one, and then after that fear creeps in a little bit, a great goal - nobody marked the player - but it was a great finish to be fair and it's a big waste for us, we can't drop points like this."
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