Watford 1-2 Ipswich Town: Sam Morsy goal puts Tractor Boys top of Championship
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Sam Morsy's goal was only his second of the season for Ipswich
Skipper Sam Morsy scored the winning goal as Ipswich returned to the top of the Championship for the first time since August by beating Watford at Vicarage Road.
The victory put them two points clear of Leicester - who play Millwall on Wednesday - and enabled them to reach 50 points before the halfway point of the season in their bid for back-to-back promotions.
Watford went ahead when Yaser Asprilla punished an error by goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky, but George Hirst brought Town level before half-time from close range.
It looked like a draw was on the cards, but Morsy dispossessed Wesley Hoedt and slipped the ball past keeper Ben Hamer to secure Ipswich's fourth successive win - and seventh away from home this season.
Ipswich made five changes to the side which began their 2-0 win at Middlesbrough on Saturday, while Watford boss Valerien Ismael recalled Jake Livermore in midfield.
The Hornets went into the game on an impressive run of only one defeat in their previous 10 games, and Ken Sema made an early surging run down the left, but his cross was slightly behind Mileta Rajovic and he could not direct his header on target.
They were, though, soon gifted the opener when Hladky misdirected a clearance to Asprilla, who squared to Rajovic - and although the Ipswich keeper partially redeemed himself by pushing aside the initial side-footed effort, the ball ran back to Asprilla, who despatched it into the roof of the net.
Yaser Asprilla joined Watford from Colombian club Envigado in January 2022
The goal must have put a smile on the face of former Watford chairman Sir Elton John, who was watching the game alongside Ipswich fan Ed Sheeran, but the younger singer/songwriter did not have to wait long for a celebration of his own.
Omari Hutchinson cut in from the right and although Hamer pushed away his deflected shot, Hirst tapped in Ipswich's equaliser from two yards.
Hirst had the ball in the net again before the interval with a header from a Leif Davis free-kick, but the referee had already blown for a push on Watford centre-back Ryan Porteous.
Such was the quality of Ipswich's passing and movement early in the second half that Watford briefly found themselves with 10 men in their own half, but they soon carved out an opening at the other end as the dangerous Sema flashed a shot across the face.
The winger then played in Jamal Lewis, whose shot was deflected wide, and although Ipswich failed to deal with the resulting corner, no Watford player was able to provide a finishing touch as the ball bounced away to safety.
A last-ditch tackle denied Edo Kayembe as the home side continued to press, but Hoedt fatally lost control of the ball after receiving it on the edge of his own box and Morsy finished in style to decide the first match between the two sides since the 2014-15 season - when Town did the double.
Ipswich now move on to face Norwich City in the East Anglian derby at Portman Road on Saturday, with Watford away to Preston North End, still 10th in the table and two points outside the play-off places.
Watford head coach Valerien Ismael told BBC Three Counties Radio:
"We're disappointed to lose the game like that, especially at the end. But I think we showed again we are ready to compete, to show our level.
"The first half the main issue was our enforced errors in the build-up, just to give the ball away without any big pressure. You need more control and I think at the end of the first half we got it.
"The second half was a game on the front foot from both teams, a typical 50-50 game where the first team with the mistake will be punished.
"We had chances again to take the lead and we have to work on being ruthless in front of goal. We created a lot of chances but the final pass or final shot was not on target."
Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna told BBC Radio Suffolk:
"The bravery we showed after the (Watford) goal to keep playing our football - if anything we doubled down on it and were even braver - was massive for us.
"That was the only way we could get control in the game against a really good, physical team.
"There were two teams out there you could see had tough games on Saturday. But the grit, the resilience we showed, alongside the bravery to keep playing football, was excellent. You do those things and you deserve to come out on the right side of the margin.
"Sam had no right to be up there pressing and winning the ball - it's not maybe top of his job description - but he showed the will and desire to really affect the game. It looked like a good finish, though he said he scuffed it."