Watford beat Huddersfield Town through Tom Cleverley and Joao Pedro goals

Second-half goals from Tom Cleverley and Joao Pedro moved the Hornets on to the 40-point mark as they reached the halfway point of the campaign fifth in the table.

The hosts had seen plenty of the ball in a relatively dull first half but struggled to create much in the way of clear-cut chances; Pedro and Ismaila Sarr producing the only two efforts of note.

But once Cleverley’s industry and attitude had been rewarded for the opener and Pedro netted the second soon after, Xisco Munoz’s men were able to complete a solid if unspectacular afternoon’s work.

Both sides came into the game off the back of being knocked out in the third round of the FA Cup, the Hornets 1-0 at Manchester United while their opponents fell victim to a 3-2 defeat at home to Plymouth Argyle.

Munoz made four changes to the side that performed with credit in the defeat at Old Trafford, Kiko Femenia, Cleverley, Ken Sema and Troy Deeney coming in for Marc Navarro, Will Hughes, Philip Zincerknagel and Andre Gray in what was the strongest matchday squad the Hornets have been able to field all season.

Daniel Bachmann retained his place in goal and made his league debut because Ben Foster was ruled out with a finger injury.

Carlos Corberain came into the game with a host of players ruled out through injury, including former Watford midfielder Jonathan Hogg, meaning the Terriers side showed four changes from their last league outing, a 2-1 defeat at home to Reading.

Played with five at the back, the visitors were quickly into their possession-based approach and pressed throughout when they were without the balk, meaning it took the Hornets a good eight minutes before they were able to enjoy their first decent spell.

It was the home side who had the first opportunity in the 11th minute though, when Pedro fed Sarr on the right, he was able to send over a useful cross which Ken Sema challenged for in the air and the ball dropped for Pedro, who scuffed his first-time effort a little but Ryan Schofield still had to dive to his right to parry the strike away.

The Hornets looked the more likely to create something thereafter, but often used a more direct approach to get into the final third and then attempt to be more intricate in the final third to unlock Huddersfield’s packed defensive ranks.

Deeney, who had struggled to get involved in the opening 30 minutes, incurred the wrath of the Huddersfield coaching staff when he went in very late on Juninho Bacuna right in front of them and could not complain that he received the first yellow card of the game as a result.

The card count was levelled up nine minutes later when Fraizer Campbell was cautioned for late challenge on Francisco Sierralta in what was becoming an increasingly tough game to watch.

However, Cleverley did liven proceedings two minutes before the end of normal time at the end of the first half when he picked up the ball in midfield, turned and drove at the opposition before slipping in Sarr on the edge of the area. The Senegal winger took a touch to control and then hit a right-foot shot which Schofield saved diving to his left.

Moments such as those had been in relatively short supply though, in an opening 45 minutes which had seen the Hornets have plenty of the ball but struggle to create too much of note.

That remained the case in the opening stages of the second half, but nine minutes after the restart the Hornets made the breakthrough in bizarre circumstances as Cleverley’s desire and attitude was rewarded.

A back pass from Alex Vallejo should have been routine for Schofield but for reasons best known to himself, the keeper chose to wait on his line rather than take a stride or two forward to meet the ball and the tenacity of Cleverley was rewarded as he slid in to net past the red-faced keeper.

Sierralta and Nathaniel Chalobah were booked in quick succession for fouls soon after before Huddersfield made their first change when Pat Jones replaced Rolando Aarons.

While the Hornets’ first goal had been unconventional, their second after 64 minutes was the outcome of a good move.

The ball was spread out to the right where Femenia took on and beat his man on the inside before playing in a low cross which presented Pedro with a straightforward finish in the heart of the area for his sixth of the season.

With games about to come thick and fast again, Munoz made a double change in the 68th minute with Hughes and Gray replacing Chalobah and Deeney. Scott High also replaced Rowe for the visitors.

The 72nd minute saw a picture montage played on the scoreboards as chants of "there's only one Graham Taylor" once again rang around the ground in honour of the passing of the club's greatest ever manager four years ago this week.

Bachmann had enjoyed a largely quiet league debut but did have to drop to his knees to hold a long-range effort from High before Zincerknagel and James Garner were introduced for the final ten minutes in place of Sema and Cleverley.

Garner fizzed a long-range effort over from 25 yards and then struck a free-kick straight at Schofield either side of Munoz making his final change of the afternoon, with Marc Navarro coming on for Femenia.

Huddersfield did have the majority of the ball in the closing stages, but the Hornets rarely looked relinquishing their grip on the contest as they recorded their ninth home win of the season.

Watford: Bachmann; Femenia (Navarro 85), Troost-Ekong, Sierralta, Masina; Sarr, Cleverle (Garner 80), Chalobah (Hughes 68), Sema (Zinckernagel 80); Pedro, Deeney (Gray 68). Subs not used: Parkes, Ngakia, Wilmot, Cathcart.

Huddersfield Town: Schofield; Pipa, Edmonds-Green, Vallejo (Ward 76), Crichlow. Toffolo; Rowe (High 68), Bacuna, O’Brien, Aarons (Jones 62); Campbell. Subs not used: Pereira, Duhaney, Brown, Austerfield, Phillips, Olagunju.

Bookings: Deeney for a foul on Bacuna (30); Campbell for a foul on Sierralta (39); Sierralta for a foul on Campbell (56); Chalobah for a foul on Rowe (60); O’Brien for a foul on Sarr (65).

Referee: Michael Salisbury