Watford 2-3 QPR: Queens Park Rangers end Watford's unbeaten start

Queens Park Rangers put a stop to Watford's unbeaten league start with an entertaining 3-2 victory at Vicarage Road. 

Ken Sema and João Pedro had both equalised to level goals from Ilias Chair and Chris Willock, but it was Albert Adomah who struck for Rangers to send them back to West London with three points. 

Adomah scored the winner for the R's the last time the sides met in February 2021, and the 34 year-old popped up again to dent Watford's unbeaten start. 

Rob Edwards made three changes from the side which drew to Preston last week, with both Ismaïla Sarr and Pedro coming back into the starting eleven. Just a week ago it seemed certain that both players would be leaving the club, with moves to Newcastle and Aston Villa respectively looking all but complete.

Edwards had hinted in the media that he is ready to shake things up tactically and it seemed like he had done just that from the off. Mario Gaspar also replaced Craig Cathcart from the 0-0 draw at Preston as Watford seemed to be switching to four at the back. 

Rangers made just one change from their 1-1 draw at home to Rotherham with Andre Dozzell coming into the side to replace the injured Tyler Roberts. Mick Beale's side were looking for only their second win in all competitions this season. 

Both sides struggled to create any real chances in the opening minutes despite the game being played at a frantic tempo. The first sight of goal fell to the away side, when captain Stefan Johansen's volley from Chris Willock's cross was driven just wide of Daniel Bachmann's post. 

It was likely that much of Rangers' attacking threat was going to come from Willock and Chair and the duo were looking lively when linking up in the opening twenty minutes. It was Chair who struck first when his ambitious strike from 30 yards out took a huge deflection off Francisco Sierralta to wrongfoot Bachmann in the Watford goal and creep into the opposite corner. 

The goal seemed to wake Edwards' men up and they almost had an immediate equaliser when Rey Manaj found himself one-on-one with R's goalkeeper Seny Dieng, but he could only fire straight at the Senegalese international. The Hornets did level things up minutes later when Pedro found Ken Sema, who cut onto his left foot after getting the better out of Kenneth Paal, and calmly slotted past Dieng. 

The tempo of the game continued at a high pace and it was Rangers who got themselves back in front minutes later. Ethan Laird and Chair combined well on the right before the former pulled the ball back for Willock to hammer in his third goal in as many games. 

It was so nearly all square as the sides went in for half-time. Dieng came well out of his box to clear away with his head and he was left stranded. The ball fell to João Pedro who's half volley from 40 yards flew over the goalkeeper and bounced once before clipping the bar and going over. 

The Hornets did find themselves level just after the break, however. Substitute Yáser Asprilla won the ball in the QPR half and looked to play Pedro in behind, and as defender Rob Dickie intercepted the Columbian's through ball he lost his balance allowing Pedro to fire home. Despite appeals by the visitors to referee Keith Stroud that Dickie had been impeded, the goal stood and Watford were level again. 

Watford failed to capitalise on the momentum following the equaliser, and it was once again the visitors who created the most meaningful chances. The ever-lively Willock found some space in the area following a corner but Bachmann did well to parry his shot away. 

The Hornets defence wasn't able to cope with either Willock or Chair and the latter combined with Paal whose ball across the face of goal was controlled by Adomah and hammered into the roof of the net. The ex-Ghanian international scored the winner the last time the two sides met in February 2021 and it looked like he had repeated his feat. 

The game was very nearly put to bed when Willock and Chair combined once again. The Moroccan was put through on goal by Willock but Bachmann was off his line early to make a crucial save. 

Despite controlling possession throughout the match, Watford still struggled to create many opportunities after Adomah's goal. They did, however, have the ball in the back of the net when Edo Kayembe hammered the ball home from the edge of the area. But as the Congolese midfielder wheeled away to celebrate the linesman raised his flag and the goal didn't count. 

There were no more chances to be created and, despite late appeals for a penalty on Kamara, it was Queens Park Rangers and Albert Adomah who travelled back to Shepherds Bush with all three points.