A last-gasp penalty from Watford defender Neil Cox denied Bradford a point at Vicarage Road and condemned the Bantams to an eighth straight away defeat.

The home side dominated for much of the match, but failed to break down Bradford's defence until the 90th minute when Lewis Emanuel fouled Jermaine Pennant.

Cox stepped made no mistake with the resulting spot-kick for his sixth strike of the season.

Bradford struggled to create much as an attacking force without a recognised striker due to injuries and the end of Delroy Facey and Harpal Singh's loan spells.

Andy Tod was brought in as a makeshift forward, but it was Claus Jorgensen who went closest early on with a 30-yard volley which Alec Chamberlain did well to tip round the post.

Bradford goalkeeper Aidan Davison was soon called into action and had to use his feet to keep out Heidar Helguson's shot.

Watford midfielder Micah Hyde tried his luck in the 26th minute from outside the area but saw his right-foot volley held by Davison.

Helguson volleyed wide on the half-hour mark before Cox headed over from Allan Nielsen's inswinging corner.

Pennant curled a left-foot shot over as Watford looked to step up a gear, but they suffered a setback when Helguson was injured just before half-time and had to be replaced by Dominic Foley.

Foley almost made an immediate impact in the second half but his well-struck left-foot shot was parried by Davison before Paul Robinson shot wide.

Cool Cox

Bradford could have taken the lead against the run of play just after the hour when Jorgensen unleashed a superb 30-yard volley which was brilliantly tipped round the post by Chamberlain.

The Watford goalkeeper then did well to hold an Andy Gray free-kick, prompting Ray Lewington to make a double substitution.

Jamie Lawrence joined team-mate Mark Bower in the referee's notebook - also for a foul on Pennant - but the free-kick by Foley could not beat Davison.

Paul Evans was also shown the yellow card after bringing down Robinson before Cox kept his cool to grab the winner from the spot.

There was still time for Bradford duo Gray and Peter Atherton to be booked, with five yellow cards only adding to their misery.

Watford: Chamberlain, Ardley, Cox, Gayle, Robinson, Pennant, Vernazza, Hyde, Nielsen, Tommy Smith, Helguson. Subs: Brown, Noel-Williams, McNamee, Foley, Lee.

Bradford: Davison, Francis, Bower, Molenaar, Emanuel, Standing, Lawrence, Atherton, Jorgensen, Gray, Tod. Subs: Evans, Jacobs, Reid, Myhill, Danks.

Referee: A Butler (Nottinghamshire).