Demarai Gray produced a moment of pure magic as Birmingham City edged past Watford, moving to within a single point of the Championship play-off places. The Blues’ victory was built on a composed opener from Paik Seung-ho and a breathtaking individual strike from Gray that left the visitors reeling.
Watford began brightly and threatened inside the opening minute, but Birmingham soon seized control. Paik opened the scoring with a driven effort from outside the box on the half-hour, cutting through the chaos to find the bottom corner and give the home side the lead.
Three minutes before the break, Gray danced inside and unleashed a sublime finish into the top corner — a goal of the highest quality that put Birmingham firmly in the driver’s seat.
The second half saw Watford press for a route back into the game. Marc Bola and Othmane Maamma tested Birmingham’s defence and keeper James Beadle, while goalkeeper Nathan Baxter kept Watford in it with a string of sharp saves.
Maamma eventually reduced the deficit just after the hour mark, sweeping home Bola’s cross to set up a tense finale. Despite late pressure from the Hornets, Birmingham held firm to claim a fourth straight home win.
The result lifts Chris Davies’ side to seventh, just four points clear of Watford, who remain 15th.
For Birmingham, chasing successive promotions after last season’s League One title, the victory is a timely boost as the season reaches its crucial phase. Watford, meanwhile, will rue missed chances and a lack of clinical finishing.
Chris Davies hailed the result as “a really big win,” praising his players’ character after Watford’s comeback: “In the first half, we were by far the better team and got two good goals… To go and beat Watford is not something I take for granted for a second.”
Javi Gracia admitted his side paid for missed opportunities: “We had chances and possession but we are paying for our mistakes… We need to be more clinical.”
Birmingham’s blend of grit and moments of individual brilliance keeps them firmly in the hunt, while Watford must sharpen up if they are to climb the table.