Cardiff's survival hopes take big step forward after brilliant win at ...

Cardiff City's Championship survival hopes took a big step forward thanks to a stunning comeback win against Watford at Vicarage Road.

Cardiff fans feared it might be a night to forget after their sluggish start and Ismaila Sarr's opening goal. But three first-half goals in 10 minutes from Kion Etete, Cedric Kipre and a goal-of-the-season contender from Sory Kaba saw Cardiff rocket into the lead and never look back.

It was a gritty, backs-to-the-wall ending for the Bluebirds, as the weathered the late storm from the Hornets, but they were a credit to the club in the end and clung on for three precious points at the most crucial time of the season.

A big blow for Cardiff ahead of the match was that their most creative player, Jaden Philogene, lost his race to be fit for the trip to Vicarage Road. The Aston Villa loanee had sustained a knee injury in the heavy defeat at Sheffield United at the weekend.

As a result, Cardiff had to opt for a robust line-up which included three central defenders and three central midfielders along with two big lads up top in Sory Kaba and Kion Etete.

But the visitors started so poorly and it's not for the first time. That so-called robust line-up was limped and had glaring holes in it from the first whistle.

The opener stemmed from Kaba gifting the ball away near the half-way line and then Watford played through Cardiff like they weren't even there. A lofted ball from Imran Louza to the back post was headed back across goal and Sarr had the easiest tap-in you are ever likely to see to hand the Hornets the lead in the 11th minute.

Watford controlled the game after that and the only way it looked like City were getting back into it was from an error. And the Hornets did almost gift a chance of their own when an errant back pass to Daniel Bachmann was cut out by Kaba, who lifted the ball over the Watford goalkeeper but, unfortunately for Cardiff, the bar, too.

Out of nowhere, though, Cardiff were back in it. Andy Rinomhota was found in acres of space 30 yards from the Watford goal and he was allowed to turn and get his head up. He found Etete ghosting into the box and the striker rounded one defender before sending a low shot into the bottom corner to get City on terms.

It was completely against the run of play, but the travelling Bluebirds fans weren't complaining. And they had more to scream about a couple of minutes later, too.

Watford looked rattled and Kaba did well to earn a foul near the touchline. City sent it into the mixer and the hosts did not clear well enough and the ball fell to Ryan Wintle 20 yards out before the midfielder hammered a low shot on goal. It was deflected but fell into Kipre's path and the centre-back emphatically blasted it past Bachmann to score City's second goal in three minutes.

To really put the icing on the cake, though, well, you leave that to Sory Kaba. Four minutes before the break, Perry Ng lofted an excellent ball into the box on the diagonal and Kaba outmuscled his defender before chesting the ball up in the air and, spectacularly, smashing an overhead kick flying past Bachmann. Watford were stunned. Their fans were incensed as they began to sing, "You're not fit to wear the shirt!"

Three goals in 10 minutes almost became four in 15 on the stroke of half-time as Mark McGuinness found the ball at his feet from a corner kick. The defender looked to stab the ball into the far corner but was just centimetres wide.

As soon as the half-time whistle was blown, it was met by a deafening chorus of boos from the Vicarage Road faithful. Quite the symbol of how this game had flipped on its head.

The hosts, perhaps predictably, shot back out of the traps after the break. They closed down every City player with more vigour and the Bluebrds struggled to get out of their own half as a result. It took some stern work, and a deep defensive line, but you could almost feel City counting those minutes down from the start of the second 45.

But chances were actually few and far between for the hosts, despite their dominance. Ken Sema looked a nuisance after his introduction and had a good opportunity to halve the deficit, but he spurned his one-on-one chance in the 73rd minute.

The next minute, Cardiff had a chance to add to their own tally, though, when Perry Ng found McGuinness with a great free-kick, but the centre-back's effort was straight at Bachmann.

Watford's lightning-fast press and pressure gradually dissipated as the half wore on and Cardiff were able to see out the remaining minutes with relative ease.

It was a glorious night for the travelling supporters, the likes of which they've not seen too often this season, and one that ended with their team in 19th place with, crucially, a game in hand on all five teams below them.

Watford XI: Bachmann; Andrews (Ngakia 65), Porteous, Hoedt, Kamara (Asprilla 65); Sarr, Kone (Sema 46), Choudhury, Louza, Pedro; Davis.

Subs: Hamer, Araujo, Bacuna, Kabasele.

Cardiff City XI: Allsop; Ng, McGuinness, Kipre; Romeo, Wintle, Rinomhota (Sawyers 68), Ralls, O'Dowda; Etete (Wickham 68), Kaba (Harris 81).

Subs: Alnwick, Sang, Ojo, Davies.

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