Town’s play-off hopes suffered a blow as they were beaten 3-1 at Watford. The Hornets, outsiders for the top six themselves, were ahead through Albert Riera at the break, but Anthony Wordsworth equalised five minutes after the restart, however, two goals in three minutes from Gabriel Angella and Lewis McGugan sealed the three points for the home side.
Boss Mick McCarthy made three changes from the team which beat Doncaster last week with Wordsworth, Aaron Cresswell and Frank Nouble coming into the side for Tyrone Mings, Paul Anderson and Stephen Hunt.
Anderson, who has been suffering with a hamstring problem, dropped out of the 18, as did former Watford keeper Scott Loach, who woke up with a back problem.
Hunt and Mings were on the bench, along with third-choice keeper Michael Crowe and strikers Paul Taylor and Jack Marriott, who was recalled from loan at Woking on Friday. Sylvan Ebanks-Blake missed out with a hamstring injury.
The sell-out Blues away following behind the goal spent their time throwing around a huge variety of inflatables as they waited for kick-off and were in fine voice as the game got underway.
Town, with Wordsworth in a central midfield three and ahead of him Murphy and Nouble to the left and right of Williams, started brightly, Nouble winning an early corner which came to nothing.
Murphy hit a low shot through to Watford keeper Manuel Almunia in the eighth minute after a long spell of Town passing down the left.
The Blues continued their early pressure and on 12 the home side eventually scrambled a Williams freekick from the left behind ahead of Chambers at the far post.
From the resultant corner, Wordsworth’s under-hit pass led to a Watford break which was cut out by superb Cresswell challenges on first Mathias Renegie and then McGugan.
But in the main Town were still on top and on 14 Williams forced Almunia to parry a strike from the edge of the 18-yard box, the loose ball somehow avoiding several well-placed Blues players.
However, despite Town having been on top, the home side went in front in the 21st minute. Former Liverpool man Riera brought the ball inside Chambers from the left and, with no one closing him down, curled a shot beyond Dean Gerken and into the corner of the net.
The Blues immediately went looking for an equaliser, Williams tricking his way into space on the left of the area, but hitting his cross beyond his team-mates. Soon after, Wordsworth flicked a header wide from Nouble’s left-sided cross.
Town eventually cleared the increasingly influential Riera’s mis-hit shot across the face of goal in the 35th minute, then Cresswell diverted McGugan’s cross from the left wide with the Hornets looking the more dangerous side but with the Blues still having a lot of the ball, albeit largely in unthreatening areas.
On 38 Wordsworth screwed a shot wide from distance and the Blues were unable to threaten again before the break.
Having started on the font foot, the Blues had been on top until Watford’s goal. From there, the home side grew in confidence with Town looking rather lacking in ideas in the latter stages of the half.
Town created an opportunity within a minute of the restart, Williams feeding Nouble, who shot wide from an angle on the right of the area. Two minutes later, after Cresswell had sent in a freekick from the right, Murphy scuffed a shot at a defender when well placed.
Troy Deeney struck a 48th minute shot through to Gerken but two minutes later Town were on terms. Following a throw-in on the right, Nouble crossed low and Wordsworth slammed in his first goal of the season right in front of the Blues support, fans and players celebrating together.
Town survived a lengthy spell of head tennis in their area after Nouble appeared to lose sight of a high ball after a corner in the 53rd minute as the Hornets looked to restore their lead.
The Blues were looking the more dangerous side and in the 58th minute Murphy robbed Daniel Tozser midway inside the Hornets’ half and brought the ball in on goal before being robbed by Joel Ekstrand.
A minute later Williams reacted angrily to what he claimed was a stamp by Riera, referee Gary Sutton speaking to them both but keep. When the ball had gone out of play Angella shoved Williams over and picked up the game’s first yellow card.
On 61 Town were within inches from going in front. Williams crossed from the left and Hyam flicked a header which Almunia brilliantly tipped onto the bar with Murphy unable to get on to the loose ball.
But two minutes later, the home side restored their lead. Tozser sent over a freekick from the left and Angella powered a header beyond Gerken.
Two minutes later it got worse for the Blues. Tozser tricked his way into the area on the right and cut back along the edge of the six-yard box. The ball deflected out to McGugan, who struck a low shot across Gerken and into the net.
Having gone two goals in front the Hornets began to dominate with Town pinned back in their half. On 70 McGugan was booked for a foul on a breaking Skuse. On 77 the former Forest midfielder curled a shot not far wide of Gerken’s left post.
Town switched Wordsworth for Paul Green for the final 10 minutes, while Watford swapped Almen Abdi for Cristian Battocchio.
Smith blocked from Deeney after the Hornets striker had got away from Berra as they challenged for a bouncing long ball, then Tozser was booked for what looked a high and late challenge on Williams.
Nouble headed wide prior to Hunt and Taylor taking over from Hyam and Williams, who looked to have been hurt by Tozser’s earlier foul.
Hunt hit a looping shot just over as the game moved into injury time, while Hornets sub Sean Murray volleyed just over shortly before the whistle.
Having got back on terms, the Blues looked the more likely winners - with Hyam unlucky not to net with his header - until Watford, who always looked sharper in the danger area, netted their two quick goals.
Thereafter, Town never looked like getting back into it and remain eighth, one point from the play-offs ahead of Monday’s home game against AFC Bournemouth.
Watford: Almunia (c), Angella, Ekstrand, Hoban, Faraoni, Abdi (Battocchio 80), Tozser, McGugan (Murray 85), Riera (Pudil 83), Deeney, Ranegie. Unused: Bond, Belkalem, Merkel, Doyley.
Town: Gerken, Chambers (c), Berra, Smith, Cresswell, Skuse, Hyam (Hunt 85), Wordsworth (Green 80), Williams (Taylor 85), Nouble, Murphy. Unused: Crowe, Mings, Richardson, Marriott. Referee: Gary Sutton (Lincolnshire). Att: 16,615.