Watford fell to their first league defeat of the 2022/23 season despite twice coming from behind to level the scores, as Queens Park Rangers left Vicarage Road with a narrow 3-2 victory.

Ilias Chair put Rangers in front with a long-range strike that came off Francisco Sierralta and caught out Daniel Bachmann, but the Hornets responded within 10 minutes through Ken Sema.

The hosts were put on the back foot again before half-time when Chris Willock stroked home at the front post, and although João Pedro made it 2-2, Albert Adomah notched the winner for QPR 20 minutes from time.

With two defeats on the bounce now in all competitions Head Coach Rob Edwards and his team will quickly focus their attentions on providing a quick response back at home on Vic 100 Matchday against Middlesbrough on Tuesday (August 30, 8pm KO).

Edwards made three changes from the XI that had drawn 0-0 in the Hornets’ previous league encounter at Preston, with Mario Gaspar returning to the XI alongside attacking duo João Pedro and Ismaïla Sarr, who had recovered from injury.

And Watford - operating with a back four in the Hertfordshire sunshine - started the game brightly with plenty of possession, as Hamza Choudhury and Edo Kayembe looked to dictate things from midfield.

Visiting goalkeeper Seny Dieng got an early feel for the ball when he calmly collected a looping Hassane Kamara cross from the left, while at the other end Sierralta was relieved to see his misplaced header safely rebound off Stefan Johansen into Bachmann’s hands.

João Pedro made his first real mark on the game with just under quarter-of-an-hour on the clock, as he won a free-kick close to the by-line after some neat trickery, and then Kayembe sent a shot on target in the aftermath of a home corner.

The Hornets were quickly reminded of QPR’s threat when Johansen volleyed narrowly wide moments later, but the Hoops were soon in front when Chair’s speculative effort from range rolled into Bachmann’s net via an unfortunate Sierralta deflection.

Andre Dozzell got in on the act with a shot for the away side as they looked to capitalise on the swing in the game’s momentum, but in the 21st minute Rey Manaj went close to equalising when his strike was parried by Dieng one-on-one.

Gaspar tried his luck with a difficult shot that flashed over the bar three minutes later, but it was Sema who did get on the scoresheet shortly before the half-hour, the Swede wrestling away from two defenders and finishing after being played in by João Pedro.

Manaj led the charge for a second goal but was injured in the process of sending a dangerous ball in from the left, and had to be replaced by Yáser Asprilla 14 minutes before half-time.

But it wasn’t long before QPR regained their advantage, with Willock finishing off a slick move at the near post, after a clever cut-back from Ethan Laird, to make it 2-1.

It was nearly 2-2 in the 40th minute, when Dieng headed a seemingly harmless Gaspar long ball straight to João Pedro, but the Brazilian’s instinctive effort bounced off the upright to spare the keeper’s blushes.

Asprilla then showed his quality with a delicious through ball that narrowly evaded the on-rushing João Pedro, and there was just time for Sema to flash a shot wide following some silky Sarr skill before referee Keith Stroud blew for the break.

Edwards’ charges burst out of the blocks at the start of the second half, with Kamara shooting at Dieng from a tight angle on the left before João Pedro grabbed his second goal of the season from close range having got the better of Rob Dickie.

Colombia international Asprilla blasted over seconds before the hour as both teams went in pursuit of the game’s fifth goal, with Bachmann acrobatically denying Willock in the 68th minute having first parried a dangerous away corner.

The Hoops were 3-2 in front moments later, though, with a square ball falling to substitute Adomah in space at the back post, who fizzed the ball into the home net off the crossbar.

Bachmann made a strong stop to keep Chair from adding a fourth to QPR’s tally with 15 minutes left, but 10 minutes later Kayembe thought he had rescued a point with a stunning strike from 25 yards, only for an offside flag against Sarr to put paid to the celebrations.

Home penalty appeals were waved away after Kamara was felled in the box close to the death, and though the Golden Boys continued to push they were ultimately unable to earn a share of the spoils.