Sunderland defender Dennis Cirkin scored a goal and gave away a penalty
Dennis Cirkin scored an 89th-minute equaliser as Sunderland preserved their unbeaten home record with a draw against Watford.
A sensational 30-yard strike from Imran Louza looked to have won it for the Hornets but Cirkin popped up with a finish from six yards to save a point.
That came after Tom Dele-Bashiru's penalty had levelled for Watford after Luke O'Nien's early header.
With Leeds United and Burnley both winning in midweek and with Sheffield United winning later on Saturday, Regis Le Bris' side's failure to get maximum points meant they lost ground in the Championship promotion race.
Tom Cleverley's Watford could not quite hang on for victory but at least ended a run of three straight defeats and sit 10th, but only three points off the top six.
Sunderland were in happy mood after their triumph at Middlesbrough on Monday night and they looked set fair for another win when they scored early on.
Enzo Le Fee's corner was deep and beyond the back post, from where Trai Hume volleyed back across for O'Nien to dive and head home from two yards as the Hornets defence stood and watched.
O'Nien almost scored a second with a glancing header from Hume's cross, but the Black Cats were stunned when the visitors equalised before half-time.
Mamadou Doumbia, the 18-year-old striker making his first Championship start for Watford, forced a fine save from keeper Anthony Patterson with a header and was brought down by Cirkin as he tried to get to the rebound.
Dele-Bashiru sent Patterson the wrong way from the spot for his first goal since scoring a penalty in the reverse fixture at Vicarage Road in September.
Ryan Andrews then went close to giving Watford the lead when his deflected shot whistled just past the far post.
Imran Louza scored his second goal in his past four games for Watford
Watford's season looked like it might derail over Christmas and New Year with seven defeats in 10 games, but they threatened a shock win when they went ahead less than a minute after the restart thanks to a magnificent goal from Louza.
Receiving the ball 30 yards out, the Morocco midfielder hit a left-footed shot full of pace and curl that flew into the top corner with Patterson having no chance.
Sunderland huffed and puffed in search of an equaliser, and it eventually came from an unlikely source, with left-back Cirkin scoring after Wilson Isidor had flicked on Le Fee's corner.
And they would have snatched all three points in injury time but for two crucial saves from Watford's debutant goalkeeper Egil Selvik, who denied both Isidor and substitute Milan Aleksic when one-on-one.
As it is, the Wearsiders are now seven points behind leaders Leeds, five points behind second-placed the Blades and two points adrift of Burnley in third after drawing a second successive home game.
'Two points lost' - Hornets boss Cleverley
Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris told BBC Radio Newcastle:
"We started well and finished well, but I'm a bit disappointed.
"It wasn't a surprise the challenge we faced, as this team (Watford) has many powerful players. It suited perfectly with our own weaknesses and we were dominated one-v-one.
"After their second goal, we played to our strengths and it was more positive as it's not easy to change the dynamic of a game.
"Our second half was better with some subs and at the end, their goalkeeper was man-of-the-match, so we had chances to win."
Watford head coach Tom Cleverley told BBC Three Counties Radio:
"For 80 minutes, we were absolutely outstanding. We showed character, we wanted to get on the ball. We suffered a setback, but we responded brilliantly.
"I thought the gameplan was executed perfectly for 80 minutes but then we had a really poor last 10 minutes.
"It was schoolboy stuff and we're much better than that. We've managed to see games out much more efficiently than that.
"It's disappointing as it feels like we've lost two points, as the performance was so strong up to then."
