Watford went toe-to-toe with one of the top sides in the Championship for the second time in four days and would have been good value to secure at least a second successive draw, but they are left to reflect on a 2-1 defeat at home to Ipswich Town that although tough to take, was self-inflicted.

The destiny of the points was ultimately decided by Sam Morsy ten minutes from the end of normal time as he seized on a rare mistake from the otherwise defensively impressive Wesley Hoedt, but the Hornets also need to reflect on not converting more than one chance, particularly when they upped the attacking ante in the second half.

With Elton John and big Ipswich fan Ed Sheeran watching on, an intriguing game from the outset saw the Hornets strike first in the 12th minute when their press led to keeper Vaclav Hladky passing the ball straight to Yaser Asprilla. Although Mileta Rajovic was unable to make the most of the first opportunity, the young Colombian made no mistake from the rebound.

However, the visitors were to level 12 minutes later when George Hirst was presented with a simple tap in after Ben Hamer had only been able to get a hand to Omari Hutchinson’s heavily deflected shot.

The Ipswich wide man was to be one of his side’s most threatening player in the first half as both sides played with confidence, looking to be positive whenever possible while also having to go through spells where they needed their defences to be alert.

With the excellent Ken Sema leading their attacking advances though, Watford stepped up their attacking game in the second half and had the chances to have gone back in front for a second time – Jamal Lewis forcing Hladky into a save before Rajovic missed a great chance from the resulting corner.

Hoedt has been one of Watford’s stand out performers of late – and was otherwise superb again defensively albeit his passing was below its usual standard – but it was his mistake that saw the Hornets suffer just a second defeat in 11 matches – his poor touch seized on by Morsy to score the winner.

Despite the disappointment of the result, it was a performance that had far more positives than negatives as the Hornets again proved they can compete with one of the division’s top sides, who caught the eye with their offensive rotations in the first half and were impressive in the way they managed the game after taking the lead.

Valerien Ismael made just the one change from the team that secured a very late, but deserved, 1-1 draw against Southampton.

Jake Livermore was fit to return after missing Saturday’s fixture and he replaced Francisco Sierralta, who dropped back to the bench in place of Imran Louza.

High-flying Ipswich came into the game fresh from a third successive victory after winning 2-0 at Middlesbrough at the weekend, but Kieran McKenna decided to freshen up his starting XI by making five changes.

Brandon Williams and Axel Tuanzebe replaced Harry Clarke and Luke Woolfenden in defence, while Massimo Luongo, Omari Hutchinson and Marcus Harness came in for Jack Taylor, Wes Burns and Nathan Broadhead in midfield and attack.

There were also two changes to the officials advertised on the EFL website, with Darren England replacing David Coote as referee and Nick Hopton taking the place of Mark Scholes as one of the assistants.

The Hornets looked to be positive from the outset and had the first effort after three minutes when Rajovic, who had to lean back to make contact, sent a looping header wide after sprinting to get in the penalty area and in a position to get on the end of a Sema cross from the left byline.

The opening ten minutes were largely a sparring contest in midfield before the Tractor Boys had their first sight of goal when Hamer was not unduly troubled by a Harness header from a Hutchinson cross from the right. Within two minutes though, the visitors found themselves behind – and it was Watford’s press that led to their undoing.

A back pass from Tuanzebe should not have unduly troubled Hladky as Rajovic closed in, but the keeper struck his pass straight to Asprilla on the right side of the area. The Colombian youngster passed inside to Rajovic, who really should have done better with the goal at his mercy from barely six yards, but Hladky could only parry the ball back to Asprilla, who showed good composure to capitalise on the angle, going for power but keeping his head over the ball to make it 1-0 with his fourth goal of the season.

Ipswich’s first sight of a reply came in the 18th minute when Leif Davis’ cross from the left sat up for Conor Chaplin on the edge of the penalty area bus his crisply-struck half-volley was straight at Hamer.

Watford responded by winning a corner which Sema took from the left towards the near post where Rajovic got a touch, forcing Tuanzebe to head behind under pressure from Livermore.

But the visitors were not to be behind for much longer.

The business end of the move started with Hirst playing the ball to his right where Harness had come infield and fed Hutchinson on the right side of the 18-yard box. He teased Lewis before hitting a curling shot that took a big deflection off the left-back, taking it away from Hamer, who did well to react but he could only get a hand to the ball, presenting Hirst with the easiest of chances to make it 1-1.

Undeterred, the Hornets were quickly back on the front foot with Lewis sending an angled snap-shot wide of the near post after Sema had laid the ball inside.

Sema was seeing plenty of the ball on the left and his next delivery ended with an under-pressure Edo Kaymebe unable to direct a header on target after attacking the edge of the six-yard box.

Hutchinson was giving Lewis plenty to think about though, and in the 31st minute he came inside and curled a left-footed effort not too far wide of Hamer’s far post after receiving a Davis pass. The Watford keeper had to be alert again soon after to field a low drive from Harness on the edge of the 18-yard box.

Ipswich continued to apply the pressure from a number of corners and their fans briefly thought Hirst had scored his second when he headed home a Davis free-kick, but the whistle had already gone for a foul.

Chaplin picked up the game’s first booking in the 39th minute for pulling back Sema and five minutes later Hirst joined him for a barge in the face of Ryan Porteous.

In between times, the Hornets had relieved some of the pressure with a solid period in the opposition half, although they were unable to troubled Hladky’s goal as the opening half ended all-square.

Sema had been arguably Watford’s most threatening player in the first half and that was underlined when Ipswich’s right-back Williams failed to reappear for the second period and was replaced by Clarke.

Kayembe received the Hornets’ first booking of the night within 20 seconds of the restart for a foul on Hutchinson, but it was the home side who started the second half the stronger with Sema continuing to be involved to strong effect.

Referee England had let very little go since the opening whistle and there was no surprise his yellow card appeared for a fourth time in the 53rd minute for a clear bodycheck on Ismael Kone by Luongo.

Sema was leading the charge again soon after though, flashing in a low cross from the left that was deflected across goal and not too far wide of the far post.

With Hoedt again leading by example, Watford were continuing to hold firm at the other end, although they nearly came undone shortly after the hour when Hirst was first to react after a corner into the near post bounced around, blasting the ball against the upright from a tight angle on the right side of the six-yard box.

Ipswich’s next sight of an opening came when Livermore was adjudged to have committed a foul in a central position 25 yards from his own goal but the wall did its job against Hutchinson’s set piece.

The end-to-end nature of the exchanges continued with Sema releasing the underlapping Lewis in the area but his attempted finish was turned behind by Hladky.

From the resultant corner though, Watford really should have gone back in front as Sema’s delivery bounced for Rajovic inside the six-yard box but he didn’t get a clean contact and flicked the ball wide of the far post.

It turned out to be the striker’s last touch as he was immediately replaced by Vakoun Bayo, while Tom Ince came on for Asprilla.

McKenna also used that 66th minute stoppage to make a triple change as Burns, Freddie Ladapo and Broadhead replaced Chaplin, Hirst and Harness.

Although there was a brief anxious moment when Hamer came out of his area to intercept a ball with his head and was then almost caught out, Watford had the next chance as Hoedt’s pass forward was turned by Bayo into the path of Ince who fed Kayembe to hit a rising drive over the top.

The Hornets skipper has been one of the stand out performers of his side’s good run but it was his mistake that led to Ipswich retaking the lead with ten minutes of normal time remaining.

A Kayembe pass back to Hoedt on the edge of his area was routine for the Dutchman but a poor touch saw the ball get away from him a Morsy seized his moment, composing himself before clamly slotting past Hamer to put the Tractor Boys 2-1 in front.

A substitution was already being readied by Ismael and he immediately made it, bringing on Rhys Healey and Matheus Martins for Kayembe and Sema.

Bayo became the next player to be booked when his attempted overhead kick only succeeded in painfully connecting with the head of Cameron Burgess.

The Hornets tried to look for a way back into the contest in the latter stages but their opponents were in no mood to let another winning position as they secured the three points that took them to the top of the Championship.

As the final whistle though, Hoedt lifted up his shirt to cover his face momentarily as he paused to reflect on his mistake – but the Hornets will know they have to make the most of their chances at the other end if they are to be able to beat the Championship’s top sides.

Watford: Hamer; Andrews, Porteous, Hoedt, Lewis; Kone, Livermore, Kayembe (Healey 82); Asprilla (Ince 66), Rajovic (Bayo 66), Sema (Martins 82). Subs not used: Bachmann, Sierralta, Pollock, Chakvetadze, Dele-Bashiru.

Ipswich Town: Hladky; Williams (Clarke 46), Tuanzebe, Burgess, Davis; Morsy, Luongo; Hutchinson, Chaplin (Burns 66), Harness (Broadhead 66); Hirst (Ladapo 66). Subs not used: Walton, Woolfenden, Taylor, Jackson, Scarlett.

Bookings: Chaplin (39); Hirst (45); Kayembe (46); Luongo (53); Bayo (83).

Referee: Darren England.