A moment of utter madness from Vakoun Bayo saw him sent off in the first half as Watford lost 1-0 to Norwich

It was, though, one of very few decisions referee Lewis Smith got right and he was rightly booed off the pitch at the end of both halves.

Bayo shoved an opponent in the throat at a corner and could have no complaints at all about his dismissal, which ultimately left the Hornets with a mountain to climb.

Despite the signing of Egil Selvik, Jonathan Bond kept his place in goal.

Rocco Vata was ruled out by a knee injury picked up in training, while Ryan Porteous, Jeremy Ngakia and James Morris all dropped to the bench.

In came Imran Louza, after his ankle injury, Moussa Sissoko and loan signing James Abankwah.

On the bench there was a place for Michael Adu-Poku, who was recently recalled from a successful loan spell in the National League with Solihull Moors.

Norwich bossed the first part of the game and it needed Bond to make a couple of great saves.

However, Watford’s task became a lot harder when Bayo was sent off after 35 minutes for thrusting a hand in the throat of a defender at a corner.

The visitors then went ahead, but referee Mr Smith appeared to give a harsh free-kick in the build-up and then didn’t award a penalty when Giorgi Chakvetadze was upended in the box by keeper Angus Gunn.

The second half saw the Hornets really show some spirit and they had the better of things, though with a man less they were always risking leaving gaps as they tried, unsuccessful, to salvage a point.

Here’s how the game unfolded:

1 - Tremendous save from Bond. Dobbin cuts the ball back from the left and Sargent meets it inside the six-yard box and centrally, but the Watford keeper spreads himself and blocks.

6 - Dele-Bashiru gives the ball away 20 yards out, but Dobbin sends a low shot straight at Bond.

7 - Chakvetadze does the hard part on the left, jinking his way into the box, but then curls a shot high and wide.

14 - Another top save from Bond, leaping to his left to push Sorensen's header from a corner round the post.

21 - Best bit of play so far from Watford. Andrews and Sissoko play a one-two down the right, Andrews accelerates onto the ball, then smartly stops and crosses. Bayo steams in at the back of the box and rises well but heads just over.

35 – Red card for Bayo. Stupid from home too - right in front of the referee he thrusts a hand in an opponent's throat.

41 – Watford 0 Norwich 1 (Sargent)

Highly dubious free-kick awarded to Norwich. They hit the wall, Bond makes a great save to deny Mahovo from the loose ball but it lands at the feet of Sargent who taps in.

45 - Watford denied what, on replays, looks a clear penalty. Chakvetadze breaks into the box, Gunn comes out, the forward nudges the ball past Gunn who collides with him. Referee Mr Smith gives  . . . a goal kick.

Half-time – Watford 0 Norwich 1

49 - Great chance wasted. Louza steals the ball just outside the box and it runs to Chakvetadze. He takes a stride and passes to Dele-Bashiru, who rolls the ball into the path of Kayembe. With Gunn out of position and defenders trying to cover, Kayembe shoots way over the bar.

63 - Larouci stood a cross up to the back post where Andrews met it with a shot that was blocked at close range.

72 - Andrews drives into the box and lets fly from an angle, forcing Gunn to save at his near post.

78 - Marcondes gets a free-kick from the edge of the box up and over the wall, but also over the bar.

79 - Stacey swung over a cross and Schwartau got above Andrews but headed across the face of goal.

88 - Another penalty appeal, another no from Mr Smith. He got this one right though, as Ince tripped himself.

Full-time – Watford 0 Norwich 1

Watford: Bond; Pollock, Chakvetadze, Louza, Sissoko (Adu-Poku 88), Bayo, Dele-Bashiru (Doumbia 74), Abankwah (Sierralta 88), Larouci (Ince 82), Kayembe, Andrews. Subs: Selvik, Ngakia, Keben, Porteous, Ince, Morris