The Town could not rise to the occasion in the derby as two first-half goals earned Watford victory at Vicarage Road.
Going into the game knowing three points would lift them off the bottom of the table – and complete a first league double over the Hornets in 37 years – Matt Bloomfield was forced into two changes as Reuell Walters and Mads Andersen start in defence as injuries robbed the Hatters of Mark McGuinness and Kal Naismith.
Despite a brief bright start, the Town fell behind in the 11th minute from the penalty spot. Thomas Kaminski and Mads Andersen failed to deal with a long ball allowing Mamadou Doumbia to sneak between them. The Watford man went to ground and referee Andrew Kitchen pointed to the spot. It seemed a soft one but, despite Kaminski guessing the right way, Tom Dele-Bashiru’s effort found the target.
Behind, the Hatters were finding it hard to create chances and, as Watford pressed for a second, they found one on 23 minutes. Giorgi Chakvetadze was allowed to run forward and cross from the left for Edo Kayembe to tap home from a yard out.
As half-time approached the Town forced some half-chances. Isaiah Jones – one of the Hatters’ bright sparks all game – went to ground in the box after wriggling down the right before Andersen headed over an Alfie Doughty cross on 40 minutes.
Doughty’s cross-shot forced home stopper Egil Selvik into evasive action just before the break but the home side held out for a 2-0 lead at the interval.
Bloomfield made three changes at half-time with Chris Makosso – on for his debut – Shandon Baptiste and Jacob Brown introduced.
Their arrivals tightened things up as the Town pushed for a way back into the game. Brown poked a goalwards on 47 minutes with a shot turned away by Selvik before Jones volleyed an effort on the run moments later.
Half-chances continued to fall the Hatters’ way as they looked for one back but time was against them.
The Town had restricted the hosts to next to nothing in the second period and it wasn’t until three minutes from time that Kaminski was called into action again, saving Chakvetadze’s shot after a mazy run.
Six added minutes were added by the officials, and four minutes into those Jones tested Selvik with a close range effort after being found by a fine pass from Liam Walsh.
It would prove to be the final chance and the Town were left to reflect on a third straight league defeat at Vicarage Road.
Town: Kaminski, Walters, Doughty, Bell, Andersen (sub Makosso 46), Jones, Nakamba (sub Baptiste 46 (sub Bowler 70)), Walsh, Aasgaard, Morris (sub Adebayo 84), Nordås (sub Brown 46).
Subs not used : Krul, Clark, Alli, Johnson.
