Joao Ferreira rescued a point for Watford in a 1-1 draw with Rotherham but the result did little to help their automatic promotion chances.

In addition to Ferreira’s superb equaliser from 20 yards, which cancelled out Shane Ferguson’s first-half opener, Watford clipped the visitors’ woodwork on two occasions on what proved to be a frustrating afternoon for the Vicarage Road crowd.

Slaven Bilic’s side sit third in the Sky Bet Championship but are 13 points behind second-placed Sheffield United and an almost unbridgeable 18 from leaders Burnley.

Mario Gaspar’s early pirouette and volley which clipped the outside of the post was a rare moment of Watford incision in the opening stages.

Indeed, the first-half intensity belonged almost exclusively to Rotherham and they forced a 17th-minute free-kick which eventually came out to Dan Barlaser 20 yards from goal.

The midfielder adjusted his body to send in a half-volley which forced Daniel Bachmann into an awkward-looking save.

The Watford keeper was then at fault as Rotherham took the lead after 20 minutes.

Tariqe Fosu, signed on loan from Brentford this week, cut inside and sent in a looping shot which Bachmann appeared to judge late, pushing the ball straight out to Ferguson, who cushioned it before lifting it into the far corner.

Watford’s response was fitful. A Matheus Martins free-kick after 26 minutes was clipped low to the edge of the Rotherham area and volleyed skilfully by Vakoun Bayo, only to clip the bar as it dipped too late.

Two minutes later, Ferreira crossed for Ismaila Sarr to attempt another volley, but this one was wilder and lashed into the contingent of Rotherham fans behind the goal.

Watford appealed loudly for a penalty as half-time approached but referee David Webb waved play on when Sarr fell under the challenge of Cameron Humphreys.

The home side almost equalised three minutes into the second half when Bayo’s cross eventually found Martins, whose shot struck the angle of post and crossbar.

However, they were level in the 53rd minute thanks to Ferreira, who seized on a loose pass by Leo Hjelde, drove forward and struck an unerring low shot into the bottom corner.

The stage seemed set for the home side to complete the comeback, yet that plan was almost scuppered after 73 minutes when Rotherham substitute Cohen Bramall skipped forward and slid the ball in front of Fosu.

The striker’s hesitation proved decisive as he allowed Bachmann to throw his body in the way of a tame shot.

Gaspar then reciprocated the wastefulness at the other end, lifting his effort over the bar with only visiting keeper Viktor Johansson to beat.