Vakoun Bayo celebrates his goal for WatfordHuw Evans Picture Agency

Ivory Coast forward Vakoun Bayo now has 10 goals for Watford this season

Dafydd Pritchard
BBC Sport Wales at Cardiff City Stadium

Watford arrested their four-match losing run in dramatic fashion as Vakoun Bayo's 87th-minute header snatched a fortuitous draw at relegation-threatened Cardiff City.

Cardiff were the better side in a slow-burner of an encounter between two teams lacking in confidence and, after several missed chances, they got their reward when Cian Ashford's composed finish put them in front in the second half.

But after a meek performance which seemed destined to end in another defeat, Watford scored with their first effort on target as Bayo headed in from Kwadwo Baah's cross.

The draw lifts Watford up one place to eighth in the Championship, two points adrift of the play-off places.

Cardiff climb out of the relegation zone as they move up to 21st in the table – one point clear of the bottom three – but they will feel cruelly denied not to have won.

After a gruelling festive period, this was the start of an important week for Cardiff, who host arch rivals Swansea City on Saturday.

The Bluebirds' only league win since early November had come at Watford just over a fortnight ago, while that victory at Vicarage Road had set the Hornets on their losing run.

The two sides' shortcomings were evident in a turgid first half, where Cardiff were the better side by dint of having the only shots on target, with Chris Willock and Calum Chambers testing Watford goalkeeper Jonathan Bond.

The home side were properly on top in the second half, pinning Watford back in their own penalty area with a succession of chances.

Rubin Colwill fired narrowly wide and Perry Ng had a volley saved by Bond, while Cardiff's centre-backs were a handful from set-pieces.

Omer Riza's side eventually got their reward when a succession of ricochets involving Alex Robertson and Chambers ended with the ball at Ashford's feet and the 20-year-old academy product finished coolly with his left.

Cardiff looked to be heading for a precious home win until Watford punctured the hosts' feelgood factor as they equalised with their first shot on target, Bayo heading in from close range from Baah's cross to pinch a point for the visitors and end their losing rut.

Post-match reaction

Cardiff manager Omer Riza:

"Frustrated for the players, they have worked really hard again and deserved to take three points, but if you don't do enough you give teams the opportunity to get back in the game.

"The last four games we should have got eight points more in the league and it would have taken us to 13th, 14th, but it's shoulda, woulda, coulda.

"We need to control the game a little bit more when we are in front. We need to kill the energy and kill the momentum and we are not quite doing that at the moment."

Watford manager Tom Cleverley:

"We are mentally strong at the end of games, but the question is are we saving ourselves at the start of games?

"I know how good we are in the last 10 minutes of game. We have a good fighting spirit and I never thought the game was lost.

"The first half was poor and that's not how I want my players to play. That was my fault because I set them up to be solid."

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