Burnley slipped to third in the Sky Bet Championship table after a goalless draw at home to Watford.

The result saw Sean Dyche’s side make it five games without a win.

But it will be seen as a much-needed point for Gianfranco Zola and his Watford side who soaked up plenty of pressure in the opening 45 minutes before taking the game to the hosts.

Dyche’s side enjoyed the best of an entertaining first half, with Watford keeper Jonathan Bond equal to everything a much-changed Burnley could throw at them.

The keeper got down to his near post well just before the half hour mark to smother a Scott Arfield flick after a low cross from Kieran Trippier.

And Bond had to be alert again seven minutes later to flick a header from Arfield around the post after a tantalising centre from Junior Stanislas.

Keith Treacy stung Bond’s fingertips two minutes before the break with a long-range drive after cutting in from the right.

A minute later, the visitors registered their first real chance of the night, Cristian Battocchio seeing his shot blocked well by Burnley captain Jason Shackell.

Watford started the second half with much more confidence going forward and Tom Heaton was relieved to see Lewis McGugan’s volley fly straight at him after 55 minutes.

Sean Murray then went close three minutes later, the midfielder smashing a loose ball goalwards only to see Ben Mee throw himself into the path of the shot to block well.

Mee came to Burnley’s rescue again after 66 minutes, this time getting back to head McGugan’s shot off the line.

A flurry of second-half substitutions did little to raise the tempo of the game as Dyche and opposite number Zola - under pressure after a 3-0 home defeat to Yeovil on Saturday - looked to find the key to victory.

Burnley substitute Steven Hewitt looked lively and flashed a header wide from the edge of the box after a David Jones corner was only half cleared while Davide Faraoni had to be alert three minutes from time to divert a Trippier cross over his own bar with Sam Vokes in close pursuit.

Both sides continued to pour forward in the closing stages and Heaton saved a point for Burnley in the 94th minute with a near post block to deny McGugan.