Livermore double earns Watford three points at QPR

The midfielder only scored his first for the club at the end of December, and that was from very close range.

However, his two today were both from the edge of the D and struck sweetly – one rising and curling beyond Begovic, the other drilled into the bottom corner.

For nearly an hour, Watford really laboured. They lacked cohesion going forward and, at the back, found the powerful, pacy Sinclair Armstrong a real handful.

The home side had looked the more likely to score in a pretty tame first half and were brighter again after the interval. They must have been left wondering how they were 2-0 down after 65 minutes.

That was largely due to wastefulness in front of goal, as they created chances, but also some more good goalkeeping from Ben Hamer.

The keeper made key saves right at the start of the second half and again in stoppage time, and once again looked confident in his handling and with the ball at his feet.

Other than the two goals, Watford didn’t threaten much except in the closing stages when they broke as Rangers searched for an equaliser.

It was a classic smash and grab away-day victory, a team that didn’t hit the heights they know they can but still finding a way to win a game.

It also means Watford climb to eight in the table, and just one point outside the play-off places.

And the Hornets are now unbeaten in five games on the road, winning four and scoring 14 in the process.

After so many months for travelling fans spent watching poor away performances with little or often no reward, this season is as refreshing as it is unexpected.

There was a first league start for Rhys Healey, while Giorgi Chakvetadze kept his place in midfield. Ryan Andrews returned at right-back allowing Tom Dele-Bashiru to push into midfield.

Jack Grieves and Jorge Hurtado were on the bench again, with 19-year-old Australian Aidan Coyne – who can play in defence and midfield – involved with the senior team for the first time.

The first half was not high on entertainment, with the home side having more of the ball and the more threatening openings but it was often a case of moves going down cul-de-sacs at both ends.

Four minutes in Armstrong – whose power and pace unsettled the Watford back line – headed wide before he forced Hamer to come out of his box and head clear by chasing down a high through ball.

There were Watford penalty appeals when the sliding Clarke-Salter appeared to upend Matheus Martins as he and Healey tried to get on the end of a low ball into the box. Referee Mr Hooper had a good view and waved play on.

Chair curled a free-kick from the edge of the box onto the roof on the net before Martins cut in from the left flank but sent his shot wide of the far post.

Watford’s best moment of the half came four minutes before the break when Yaser Asprilla sent Andrews clear down the right. He cut in but his low cross was blocked and cleared.

Then Rangers had their best opening when Armstrong managed to get a shot away from the right of the box despite having three defenders around him. Hamer got down to push it away and Andrews cleared as Chair tried to get on the loose ball.

There was almost disaster straight from the kick-off of the second half as Armstrong caught Francisco Sierralta in possession, moved into the box but saw Hamer push away his shot.

Chakvetadze broke from just outside his own half, ran at the QPR defence and exchanged passes with Healey before sending in a shot that was deflected wide.

From the resultant corner Begovic gathered the ball and hurled it downfield, allowing Armstrong to ride a sliding challenge from Andrews before trying to poke a shot past Hamer. The keeper blocked, the ball ran loose and Chakvetadze cleared.

Then, after 59 minutes and having played second fiddle for most of them, Watford went ahead in style.

Livermore picked the ball up just outside the D and nonchalantly curled a shot round Begovic and inside the far post.

Rangers failed to take a great chance almost immediately as Dykes flicked on but Colback dragged his shot wide.

Their profligacy was then punished by Livermore with a goal that was so similar to his first.

Martins' cross was cleared to the former England midfielder just outside the D and this time he drilled a low shot into the corner.

The second goal led to changes and a switch to 4-4-2 as Mattie Pollock came on at right back with Andrews ahead of him. Ryan Porteous partnered Wes Hoedt, with Francisco Sierralta sitting deep in midfield and Mileta Rajovic up top alongside Healey.

The Danish striker almost had an immediate impact as he climbed well to meet a Chakvetadze cross but headed over.

Then, with 14 minutes left, Rangers pulled one back as Smyth's cross from the right got a deflection and looped up to the back post where Dykes pretty much could let it hit him to put it in.

That led to Rangers throwing everything they could at Watford in the closing stages, but the Hornets’ threat on the counter meant the home side couldn’t send everyone too far forward.

It was nervous at times, and the home crowd certainly turned up the volume – and they may have had something to cheer about but for a superb Hamer save two minutes into stoppage time.

Dunne shot from 10 yards through a crowd and the Watford keeper dived to keep it out before Sierralta cleared with Rangers players around him.

Watford: Hamer; Andrews, Sierralta, Hoedt, Morris; Livermore (Pollock 69), Dele-Bashiru, Chakvetadze; Asprilla (Rajovic 69), Healey (Ince 84), Martins (Porteous 69). Subs: Bachmann, Kone, Hurtado, Coyne, Grieves