A trio of goals in the space of 10 first-half minutes overturned a shell-shocked Watford’s early lead as the Hornets fell to a disappointing defeat against relegation-threatened Cardiff City.

Ismaïla Sarr had opened the scoring for the Hornets, converting a well-worked team move to score his 10th goal of the season, but things were to take a turn for the worse as the first half progressed.

Kion Etete and Cédric Kipré both scored from close range to turn the match on its head, then Sory Kaba notched the goal of the game with a spectacular acrobatic effort as the score went from 1-0 to 1-3 in just a matter of minutes.

After a goalless second half, Watford were left to reflect on a costly defeat that leaves the Hornets five points off the play-off places with three games to go.

Chris Wilder named one change to the starting XI that beat Bristol City at the weekend, with Ismaël Koné replacing Leandro Bacuna in midfield.

It took little more than 10 minutes for the Hornets to break the deadlock, and they did so in some style. After a slick passing move Imrân Louza lofted a nicely-weighted ball to Keinan Davis, who headed across goal for Sarr to apply the finishing touch from close range.

Shortly after a brief pause in play to allow those players observing Ramadan to break their fast, Cardiff forward Kaba lobbed onto the roof of the net having capitalised on a Wesley Hoedt defensive header that lacked power.

It was something of a let-off for the Hornets, but they were about to be punished by three quickfire goals from the visitors.

First, Etete skipped past a Hamza Choudhury challenge to the right of goal before firing through the legs of Ryan Andrews on the line to equalise just after the half-hour.

Moments later, Ryan Wintle saw a powerful shot blocked and Kipré converted on the rebound to put the Bluebirds ahead, then Kaba controlled a Perry Ng cross with his chest and scored with an audacious overhead kick to complete a remarkable turnaround that few inside Vicarage Road will have foreseen just 10 minutes previous.

And it could have been worse before the interval, Mark McGuinness prodding just wide after Kipré won a header following a Joe Ralls corner.

Wilder opted to introduce Ken Sema at the restart as the Hornets went in search of a route back into the game, Canada international Koné making way.

Watford bossed the possession during the early stages of the second half without creating any real clear-cut chances; Sarr going closest with an angled shot from inside the area that was blocked at the near post with just over an hour played.

Jeremy Ngakia and Yáser Asprilla had been introduced for Andrews and Hassane Kamara shortly before, but it was Cardiff substitute Connor Wickham who might have scored with his first touch - a tame header that was comfortably saved by Daniel Bachmann.

With 15 minutes remaining, Ng whipped in a dangerous free-kick that evaded the Hornets’ backline and fell to Wickham, who poked goalwards and drew another Bachmann save.

Cardiff keeper Ryan Allsop was finally called into action in the 87th minute, keeping out a Sarr effort after the Senegalese attacker had controlled a Louza pass with his chest and got the shot away, but that was all the Hornets could muster as the game fizzled out to an unsatisfactory conclusion.