Derby County's Matt Clarke rises highest to win a header against Watford.Image source, Shutterstock
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Derby County threw away a two-goal lead to bring an end to their five-match winning streak

Watford came from two goals down at Pride Park to register their first away victory of the Championship season and bring Derby's five-match winning streak to an end.

Edo Kayembe scored twice, one from the penalty spot, after Luca Kjerrumgaard had produced a goal from nothing to get the Hornets back in the game.

The Rams suffered an early blow when the Championship's joint leading goalscorer Carlton Morris was forced off with a knee injury.

But defenders Dion Sanderson and Sondre Langas both scored their first goals for the club to seemingly put John Eustace's side in charge.

However, the Hornets, who themselves lost Kwadwo Baah to an apparent hamstring problem, hit back to make it four games unbeaten and leapfrog Derby to go within two points of the play-off places.

Watford were the last remaining Championship side still to win on their travels this season, and that statistic seemed likely to be extended as the home side controlled the game in the opening 45 minutes.

Morris, who had scored six in his previous four games and was responsible for half of Derby's league goals this season, seemed to fall awkwardly after an innocuous collision with defender Kevin Keben off the ball and could not continue after lengthy treatment.

Sanderson, on loan from Birmingham City, filled that void with an accomplished finish after Bobby Clark's shot struck a defender and fell neatly onto his half-volley.

Baah, who had come closest for the Hornets in the first half with a deflected shot that forced a sharp save from Jacob Widell Zetterstrom, went down clutching the back of his leg after a tackle.

Andi Weimann almost doubled the Rams' lead in first-half added time with a header from Joe Ward's deep cross that struck the post and bounced against Nathan Baxter's back before going out for a corner rather than into the net, much to the goalkeeper's relief.

Langas seemed to have settled the result after 54 minutes when he got on the end of a free-kick from Joe Ward, who racked up an assist for the fourth consecutive game, and glanced a header past Baxter.

Udinese loanee Kjerrumgaard changed the complexion of the game as he met Jeremy Ngakia's near-post cross with a half-volley which flashed past Zetterstrom, and Watford sensed blood.

When substitute Nestory Irankunda skipped past Ward at the by-line, the full-back brought him down and, with seven minutes left, Kayembe confidently tucked away the spot-kick.

The DR Congo midfielder made sure of all three points in the 88th minute, meeting Imran Louza's curling corner with a header into the far corner.

'Great attitude' - managers' reaction

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Derby manager John Eustace told BBC Radio Derby:

"I'm really disappointed. At 2-0 I thought we were comfortable.

"They had a lot of possession and are a really good team, and we switched off for that first goal they scored, that lack of concentration, and for the second game in a row we've given away a penalty where it was needless.

"At 2-2 we'd have taken a point with them on the front foot, and the way we conceded the third goal just wasn't like us, that lack of organisation and leadership."

On Carlton Morris: "It looks pretty bad. For the big man to come off it's got to be bad. He'll get assessed tomorrow by the medical team and we'll take it from there."

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Watford head coach Javi Gracia told BBC Three Counties Radio:

"The game was tough. To win away after a long time not winning away, around 270 days, we are really happy. To do it after conceding two goals and keep doing our job, following the plan, with the reward of three points, is something amazing for us.

"My players showed a great attitude until the end and I'm happy for the supporters who enjoyed winning with the team.

"If you analyse their goals today, one is from a rebound and the second from a very good free-kick and good header, and we didn't deserve in that moment to be losing the game 2-0.

"We had more possession, and more shots on target and played a good game, knowing Derby were coming from five wins in a row and that it would be very tough."

Player of the match

Number: 39 E. Kayembe
Average rating 8.54
Number: 1 J. Widell Zetterström
Average Rating: 4.60
Number: 6 S. Langås
Average Rating: 4.45
Number: 28 D. Sanderson
Average Rating: 4.24
Number: 20 C. Elder
Average Rating: 4.12
Number: 32 E. Adams
Average Rating: 3.93
Number: 5 M. Clarke
Average Rating: 3.84
Number: 15 L. Salvesen
Average Rating: 3.79
Number: 42 B. Clark
Average Rating: 3.65
Number: 14 A. Weimann
Average Rating: 3.63
Number: 23 J. Ward
Average Rating: 3.60
Number: 9 C. Morris
Average Rating: 3.35
Number: 16 L. Thompson
Average Rating: 3.10
Number: 7 P. Agyemang
Average Rating: 3.05
Number: 19 K. Jackson
Average Rating: 2.85
Number: 25 B. Brereton
Average Rating: 2.77

After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.

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