Jeremy Ngakia (centre) watches along with three Bristol City players as the ball flies into the top corner of the net for a goalShutterstock

The win was the second victory for Watford boss Ed Still since he took over

Sophie Hurcom
BBC Sport England at Ashton Gate

Jeremy Ngakia's sublime second-half strike gave Watford victory at Championship play-off rivals Bristol City, who they leapfrogged in the table up to seventh.

Luca Kjerrumgaard lifted the ball over Robins keeper Radek Vitek to put Watford 1-0 up after just seven minutes, while Saba Goglichidze also hit the post during the first half for the Hornets.

But Scott Twine headed Bristol City level before the break, nodding in a lovely Adam Randell cross, and a point apiece looked to be on the cards.

That was until Ngakia's shot from outside the box curled perfectly into the top corner, allowing Watford to close the gap to sixth-placed Wrexham to three points before the rest of the weekend's games.

Bristol City, meanwhile, drop a place to ninth in the table as they failed to win for a third home game in a row.

The Robins eased to a 5-1 win when these two sides met here in the FA Cup last month but their defence has taken a major hit in the past week with Rob Atkinson following Rob Dickie in being ruled out long-term - and Kjerrumgaard quickly found an early way through their reshuffled rearguard.

Giorgi Chakvetadze shook off Mark Sykes down the wing and picked out Edo Kayembe in the box - he passed straight to the Dane who scooped the ball up and over Vitek at the near post.

Bristol City immediately searched for an equaliser and Ross McCrorie's first-time volley forced a save out of Egil Selvik, while Jason Knight's calls for a penalty for handball were denied.

But Watford almost doubled their lead when Neto Borges brought down Nestory Irankunda and Goglichidze's header from the resulting free-kick hit the post, with a grateful Vitek pouncing on the loose ball.

It continued to be a lively first half as Tomi Horvat's shot from distance required a diving save from Selvik, while at the other end Irankunda almost made it 2-0 with a superb strike from range that curled just wide of the top corner.

But Bristol City levelled 10 minutes before the break as Twine - usually a direct free-kick expert - somewhat uncharacteristically nodded in Randell's cross.

Scott Twine (left) flies towards the floor and watches as the ball drifts through the air before going into the netPA Media

Free-kick specialist Scott Twine scored with his head to make it 1-1

Chakvatadze was then twice the architect as Watford had the two best chances after the break to score again.

He first linked up with Imran Louza, whose shot drifted past the post after a touch from Videk, before he found Irankunda, who could not quite direct his shot from a few yards out on target.

Ngakia then fired Watford in front with a storming hit, having had time to set himself up outside the box, for his third goal of the campaign.

McCrorie thrashed a decent opening well wide for the hosts before substitute Max Bird's on-target header was comfortably saved in added time as Watford withstood late pressure to take home all three points.

'A wonder goal doesn't fall from the sky' - reaction

Bristol City head coach Gerhard Struber told BBC Radio Bristol:

"I am really frustrated and we expected a different result in the end, and a big loss is really painful.

"The control of the game was good, but some small details such as decision making... we were not lucky with the last decision that we did, and how to bring a player into a better position with a higher chance to score.

"Then how we gave away the goals was really cheap and it is really hard to describe. It is all small things - typical Championship.

"When you want to be in the play-off spots you have to win games in a row more and more times, and we must be honest with ourselves that this is a gap.

"We have to be better and we have to improve, how we bring a clean sheet home and how we score on a different level."

Struber: "A big loss, it's really painful"

Watford head coach Ed Still told BBC Three Counties Radio:

"The most important beyond anything else this evening was the energy the players could find and the heart they could put into it. Everybody saw the commitment that has gone into that performance.

"We forced a little bit of luck - when you create a wonder goal like that it doesn't just fall from the sky and we've got a bit lucky at the end as well, they've had a couple of chances where on another day that could be a draw.

"We're not getting ahead of ourselves but it does feel special.

"I'm so pleased and proud of the dressing room and for the team because they're coming together and they are starting to believe in each other and hopefully the fans can feel that and feed off that."

Player of the match

J. Ngakia
8.53
10 S. Twine
5.41
23 R. Vítek
5.00
4 A. Randell
4.65
18 E. Riis
4.52
2 R. McCrorie
4.41
14 T. Horvat
4.32
38 N. Eile
4.20
12 J. Knight
4.20
21 Neto Borges
4.09
17 M. Sykes
4.06
19 G. Tanner
4.03
6 M. Bird
3.93
30 S. Armstrong
3.87
3 C. Pring
3.56
44 G. Earthy
3.50
11 D. Burgzorg
3.41
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