MATCH REPORT: Watford 0 Cardiff City 1

Watford lose 0-1 to Cardiff City at Vicarage Road in the Championship.

A Kieffer Moore goal secured Neil Harris’s Cardiff City all three points as the Bluebirds beat Watford 1-0 at Vicarage Road.

With 2,000 Hornets fans in attendance, Watford slipped to 7th in the Championship standings.

Hornets manager Vladimir Ivic made four changes from the side who drew to Nottingham Forest during the week.

Watford’s William Troost-Ekong, Ben Wilmot, Tom Cleverly and Ken Sema were back in the starting 11. Craig Cathcart, Kiko Femenia, Nathaniel Chalobah and Domingos Quina were all dropped.

The Bluebirds line-up remained unchanged from the side who beat Huddersfield 3-0 at the Cardiff City Stadium.

An end to end opening ten minutes set the pace at Vicarage Road. Hornets forward Joao Pedro had the first chance of the game. The Brazilian hit whiskers wide as he fired across the face of the goal in the 13^th minute.

Cardiff’s first chance of the tie came courtesy of Kieffer Moore. Searching for a fifth goal in five games, the forward could only head wide in the 15^th minute.

The Cardiff corner count steadily increased as the first half drew to a close. Bluebirds captain Sean Morrison lept high as he headed over in the 38^th minute.

The deadlock eventually broke in the 42^nd minute. Cardiff forward Moore indirectly converted from a fifth Bluebirds corner, a left footed effort from the centre of the box flew into the bottom right corner.

Watford midfielder James Garner hit off target with two freekicks after the interval. Tom Cleverly was replaced by Will Hughes in the 66^th minute. Ken Sema was also taken off and was replaced by Domingos Quina.

Quina almost immediately made an impact. The Hornets midfielder was denied by Alex Smithies in the 67^th minute.

Cardiff’s Mark Harris was replaced by Junior Hoilett in the 69^th minute.

Watford began to knock on the door as the game went on. Both Sarr and Quina were held off by a compact Cardiff defence towards the 70^th minute mark. A Pedro header was perhaps the best chance of the game for Watford in the 72^nd minute - Smithies made the save.

Marlon Pack replaced Sheyi Ojo for an under the cosh Cardiff in the 76^th minute.

Hughes tried to draw his side level in the 84^th minute. With power but, limited precision, the Englishman shot inches wide.

Cardiff made three substitutions in the 87^th minute. Robert Glatzel replaced Moore, Gavin Whyte replaced Harry Wilson and Sol Bamba replaced Joe Ralls.

Watford rounded off a disappointing afternoon with a Troost-Ekong header that flew just over the crossbar.