CARDIFF CITY: Spaniard Gerard Deulofeu bagged a hat-trick as Watford hammered lowly Cardiff City 5-1 on Friday to move up to seventh place in the Premier League. Deulofeu put Javi Gracia’s side ahead in the 18th minute with a well-placed finish after a mistake from Cardiff defender Bruno Manga. Cardiff should have had a penalty when Daryl Janmaat’s rash challenge brought down Josh Murphy but Watford ran away with the game after the break. Deulofeu made it 2-0 with a clinical finish, rounding Cardiff keeper Neil Etheridge after a swift break in the 61st minute. The former Barcelona and Everton winger completed his hat-trick after more poor defending from Neil Warnock’s side – Harry Arta gave the ball away in midfield and Deulofeu’s calm finish gave him Watford’s first top-flight hat-trick since Mark Falco in 1986. Deulofeu then turned creator, bursting into the box and unselfishly teeing up Troy Deeney for a simple tap-in as Watford romped into a four-goal advantage. Cardiff, who are 17th and could fall back into the bottom three after this weekend’s games, pulled a goal back through defender Sol Bamba, who bundled the ball in following a scramble at a corner. But Watford added further punishment with Deeney’s second in stoppage time after good work from Will Hughes. Published in Daily Times, February 24th 2019.