Visiting goalkeeper Will Mannion shone in a lively contest, turning Irankunda’s early drive behind and producing a one-on-one save after the Australia international won the ball inside his own half and exchanged a one-two with Louza and surged inside the box.
The ever-creative Louza beat Mannion but not the woodwork with a second crossing attempt following a corner, and Docherty followed suit at the other end in the culmination of a Charlton set-piece routine from a free-kick won by the restored Tyreece Campbell.
On his 50th Watford appearance, Doumbia then found the net with a first-time strike from Louza’s free-kick but was immediately denied by an offside flag against Saba Goglichidze, who charged clear and tested Mannion with a low shot in the first attack after the interval.
A minute after his introduction, Godden scored his first goal of the season in style by controlling the ball on his chest in front of goal and swivelling to angle in a fierce finish, giving the Addicks hope of a league double in the fixture for the first time in 30 years.
Irankunda had other ideas, cannoning a piledriver off the bar and forcing Mannion to tip his shot away either side of his scintillating fourth goal of the season, continuing the 20-year-old’s splendid form after netting twice for his country against fellow World Cup participants Curacao six days ago.
Mannion stopped a Louza shot while Goglichidze and Mattie Pollock sent headers wide as Watford pushed for a winner, before Coady’s misfortune caused both sets of players to show their concern for the on-loan Wrexham defender.