A FANTASTIC Hornets following were treated to a powerhouse performance from their table-topping heroes at the Ricoh Arena, as Watford further extended their lead at the summit with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Coventry City.

Watford bossed the game from the off and it was somewhat surprising that it took until 30 minutes into the encounter for them to break the deadlock - less surprising were the scorers, as the top three Hornets' marksmen all bagged a goal apiece.

On loan Adam Johnson was the first to find the net with a fierce low drive and goals either side of the break from strike pair Marlon King and Darius Henderson put paid to any hopes of a comeback from the troubled home side.

Watford boss Aidy Boothroyd left his side unchanged for the trip to Coventry, as 'keeper Mart Poom remained sidelined at London Colney with a back problem.

Iain Dowie, following his side's dismal defeat at Plymouth, made two changes of his own, bringing in former Sunderland striker Kevin Kyle and David McNamee at the expense of the experienced Michael Hughes and Robbie Simpson.

It was only the second time Watford had visited the resplendent Ricoh Arena, having been defeated by three goals to one in their last promotion season.

The opening exchanges on this crisp evening were typically gutsy and robust from both sides, and completely in the image of their managers.

The first noteworthy efforts both came from free-kicks, first off Stephen Hughes shot high over Richard Lee's crossbar, before Watford's own indirect kick found the head of Dan Shittu, whose effort was cleared to safety by the Sky Blues.

Soon after the livewire Johnson found the head of Henderson, but the in-form hit-man was just unable to steer his shot goalwards.

The game was taking a pattern of counter-attack after counter-attack and next to try his luck was the young midfield starlet John-Joe O'Toole, who flashed a rasping half-volley just wide of Andy Marshall's right hand post. All this before the 10 minute mark had been reached.

A flurry of corners on the quarter hour mark gave O'Toole a chance to again break his duck in front of goal, but the Academy graduate's final header glanced over Marshall's bar much to his disappointment.

The first booking came just four minutes later when McNamee body-checked a strong Jordan Stewart run down the left.

Coventry were struggling to contain Watford and King should have opened the scoring seconds after the caution. Springing the offside trap the forward shot low into the legs of Marshall and when collecting the rebound, could only clatter his second effort back off the upright.

Marshall must have been the luckiest 'keeper alive as he again made an unwitting save at his feet from the onrushing O'Toole. The 'Orns were dominant, but had no goal to show for their efforts.

With a transfer embargo announced and a perilous financial situation lingering in the air, things took a turn for the worse for the home side when Gary Borrowdale was sadly stretched off with a problem to his right leg.

Coventry were at sixes and sevens at the rear and Watford were in no mood to keep squandering chances. Smack-bang on the half-hour mark they eventually took the advantage, and deservedly so.

A mistimed clearance from Coventry found Tommy Smith's feet on the right, squaring the ball to King the striker then unselfishly chipped it to the far post where Johnson swept onto the loose ball to crash home under the unconvincing Marshall, who had slipped during the build-up.

Stewart saw yellow for the visitors next, adjudged to have been time-wasting by referee Lee Probert.

Coventry rallied before the break but were simply unable to plunder the goal they so desperately craved, as Boothroyd's rearguard action held firm. And indeed the Golden Boys doubled their lead at the perfect moment - just three minutes before the interval.

Having picked up his booking Stewart extracted revenge by finding Shittu with a pinpoint pass. The defender's downward header found King on the penalty spot, he turned his marker exquisitely, and then fired off an unstoppable half-volley with his left foot to leave the Hornets two up at the break.

Robbie Simpson was introduced at half-time for the home side with Stephen Hughes having picked up a broken cheekbone.

With their tails up Boothroyd sent his troops out with orders to presumably 'keep it going'. That they did.

Watford burst out of the blocks just a minute into the second period as goal-thirsty Henderson bustled through the City backline with relative ease to notch a third from 10-yards, following neat interplay by Gavin Mahon and then King on the edge of the area.

In truth it was all too easy for the red-hot forward, whose goal was the eighth of his already excellent season.

All-action hero O'Toole kept City at bay some ten minutes later as he first cleared off the line from a bullet-like Kevin Kyle header, and then rounded stranded 'keeper Lee to clear his lines when all looked lost.

Shittu, fancying himself as a forward more and more, unleashed a spectacular long-range shot that fizzed wide of Marshall, and the chances just kept coming.

Substitute Tamas Priskin was played clean through one-on-one, and with all the time in the world (and a bit more) he shot agonisingly low into the body of Marshall. He should have done better and his reaction told as much as he cupped his head in his hands.

With Henderson already rested, his team mate King was the next to receive a standing ovation from the terrific Watford following, Boothroyd bringing on record signing Nathan Ellington.

Still Watford pressed and Jobi McAnuff clipped an eye-catching volley just over the crossbar, before almost finding Ellington inches from the goal line with a teasing cross.

It was fluent Watford at their best and they held out quite comfortably to take a three goal advantage, and an impressive clean sheet with it, back down the M1.

COVENTRY CITY (4-4-2): Marshall; Osbourne, Ward, Turner, Borrowdale (De Zeeuw 26); McNamee, S Hughes (Simpson HT), Doyle (c), Gray (Best 71); Kyle, Mifsud. Subs: Adebola, Tabb.

WATFORD (4-4-2): Lee; Doyley, Shittu, DeMerit, Stewart; Johnson, Mahon (c), O'Toole, Smith (McAnuff 58); King (Ellington 79), Henderson (Priskin 75). Subs: Loach (gk), Mariappa.

BOOKINGS: COVENTRY CITY; McNamee (unsporting behaviour 19), De Zeeuw (unsporting behaviour 81). WATFORD; DeMerit (unsporting behaviour 38), Stewart (time wasting 40).

SENDINGS OFF: COVENTRY CITY; none. WATFORD; none.

GOALS: COVENTRY CITY; none. WATFORD; Johnson (30), King (42), Henderson (46).

REFEREE: Mr L Probert.

ATTENDANCE: 17,031 (2,286 Watford supporters).