City's first trip to the FA Cup third round for eight years went disappointingly with the form book today on a ground where they have never won.

Watford's added Championship class proved too much for Phil Parkinson's men, who were backed by over 1,200 travelling fans.

City matched them for the bulk of the first half but ultimately did not help themselves with slack defending to blame for three of the home goals.

Their hopes of taking the sting out of the Hornets in the early stages were blown away inside the opening three minutes.

Marvin Sordell crossed to the far post where Troy Deeney outjumped Robbie Threlfall to nod Watford into an immediate lead.

But, to their credit, City were level within five minutes. Ricky Ravenhill's goal-bound drive was blocked by Carl Dickinson but James Hanson fired home the rebound for his tenth goal of the campaign.

Watford skipper John Eustace tested Jon McLaughlin low down but City had bounced back well from that early blow against a side 48 places higher up the league ladder.

Mark Yeates cut the ball back from the byline to cause panic in a crowded six-yard box. But Adrian Mariappa's attempted backheel was blocked by weight of numbers.

But Hanson missed a good chance for his second when he headed over Robbie Threlfall's corner, City's first of the game.

Watford made them pay by retaking the lead five minutes before the break.

Yeates passed between Threlfall and Ricky Ravenhill to give Sordell a clear run inside the box. He cleverly dribbled round Andrew Davies before firing under McLaughlin.

Nahki Wells got a first chance to show his pace soon after the re-start, bursting past Nyron Nosworthy but Hanson could not get to his cutback first.

But two Craig Forsyth goals in the space of three minutes then put the tie out of City's reach.

The left winger's first was a tap-in after McLaughlin had palmed away Sordell's dangerous cross. Deeney and Yeates kept it alive in the danger zone for Forsyth to finish.

His second just before the hour was a cracking first-time finish from outside the box after City had been caught upfield by Eustace's counter attack.

Forsyth was only back in the home side because Michael Kightly had gone back to Wolves and had seized his opportunity.

City did pull one back two minutes from the end as Nahki Wells slipped through a static defence to turn in Charlie Taylor's cross And sub Ross Hannah thought he had made it 4-3 but his header was ruled out for offside.

At least City's cup adventure ended with a bit of a flourish as the focus now returns to reaching calmer waters in League Two.