Watford 1-3 Cardiff City: Bluebirds' survival hopes take big step forward thanks to brilliant comeback win

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