Tom Ince scores 100th Championship goal from bench as Watford beat Norwich

Substitute Tom Ince’s 100th Sky Bet Championship goal crowned Watford’s fightback in a thrilling 3-2 win at Vicarage Road which dented Norwich’s revival.

Booed off at the interval after a lacklustre opening 45 minutes, the Hornets’ improved display, which kept the Canaries rooted in the drop zone, was harsh on Philippe Clement’s side.

Norwich twice went ahead and often played with enterprise which belied their lowly position, but they were undone by two-goal Luca Kjerrumgaard’s twin headers and 33-year-old Ince’s enduring poacher’s instincts.

Fortified by four consecutive wins against Watford, including a narrow Carabao Cup victory at Vicarage Road in August, Norwich were brisk and threatening from the first whistle.

Emiliano Marcondes scooped an early chance just wide from 18 yards after only 20 seconds, and only Jeremy Ngakia’s last-ditch tackle thwarted Josh Sargent’s surge into the box.

But there was no stopping Sargent after 11 minutes as he stole in front of the dawdling Marc Bola on the far post to nod Oscar Schwartau’s left-wing cross beyond Nathan Baxter.

It was the American forward’s seventh goal in nine appearances against the Hornets and his third at Vicarage Road in 2025.

Watford – just one clean sheet since April – finally emerged from their dismally sluggish start as Kjerrumgaard’s header from Imran Louza’s corner was scrambled off the line with Giorgi Chakvetadaze just unable to apply a decisive touch.

Chakvbetadze, making his first start for nine months after a complex foot injury, was booked following a heavy collision with Canaries goalkeeper Vladan Kovacevic and the Georgian playmaker was forced to retire hurt eight minutes before the break – but not before the Hornets had emerged from their hibernation with an equaliser.

From another Louza corner, Mattie Pollock’s header was beaten out by the diving Kovacevic but returned with interest by Kjerrumgaard, who nodded the rebound into the opposite corner for his sixth goal of the season.

Just when Watford appeared to be gaining a foothold in the contest, however, their defence went absent without leave again on the stroke of half-time.

Baxter stretched to keep out Sargent’s low effort, but Marcondes seized on the loose ball and lifted a cross to the far post, where the totally unmarked Schwartau was free to restore Norwich’s lead.

Ince almost replied for the home side immediately, whipping a decent effort just beyond the angle, but they had more joy from Kjerrumgaard’s superb glancing header from Ngakia’s cross 16 minutes after the break.

As the floodlights belatedly joined the party in gloomy conditions, Kovacevic made a miraculous save to keep out Mamadou Doumbia’s header from point-blank range to deny Watford the lead for the first time.

Then City substitute Jovon Makama, clean through on goal, shovelled his finish wide as the game became more open.

But the Hornets’ improvement was crowned by a brilliant goal 12 minutes from time, Moroccan winger Othmane Maamma’s superb pass picking out Bola’s run down the inside left channel and his low cross was swept home by Ince for his first goal of the season.

Norwich were not finished, and Baxter needed to parry Makama’s fierce shot before Sargent’s effort from the rebound was deflected over the top.