A resilient display with some flashes of real skill saw Watford Under-21s beat Charlton 3-2 at the London club’s Sparrows Lane training ground this afternoon.

Jeremy Ngakia continued his path back to full match fitness with a 60-minute run-out, looking confident and assured in a back four that also included James Morris in the other full-back position.

The wind was a problem for both sides, blowing diagonally across the pitch and assisting Watford in the first half before being at the backs of Charlton after the break.

It gusted strongly enough to blow long balls and high clearances straight up in the air, yet the young Hornets dealt well with it and patiently built attacks on the deck to overcome the wind, enabling them to counter so effectively it was that which won them the game.

In midfield, Jack Grieves put in a typically whole-hearted, robust and hard-running performance. Having been an unused sub for the last two first-team games, he must be edging closer to some senior minutes given the performances on Saturday of some of those keeping him out of the team.

Alongside him, Charlie Davis again caught the eye. He’s industrious, strong and knows when to keep the game simple. In the same way that Ryan Andrews began to step forward around this time last season as an Under-21 that might be ready to progress, Davis is putting together a string of performances that can only help his cause.

Having seen Jonathan Macaulay make a block at the feet of Tolu Ladapo in the first 60 seconds, the Hornets went ahead after only three minutes.

Davis sent over a corner from the left, James Clarridge met it at the near post with a header that was going towards the centre of the goal before it hit the head of Charlton defender Seydil Toure and went into the top corner.

Patrick Casey shot over under pressure for the Addicks before keeper Prince Adegoke made a good stop to deny Laken Torres and Grieves sent a curling effort on the follow-up just wide of the far post.

Grieves then created another opening with a strong tackle and fine pass out to Morris on the left. His cross was met by Torres who steered a header wide.

A frantic opening 15 minutes continued with Macaulay making an excellent stop when Keenan Gough met a deep corner with a well-struck volley.

The home side were given a route back into the game in the 20th minute when Ladapo’s cross was blocked by Morris in the box and, although the referee gave a corner, his assistant on the far side signalled handball and the decision was changed to a penalty.

Casey stepped up and sent Macaulay the wrong way to make it 1-1.

After that the game settled down and the best chance in the remainder of the first 45 minutes came after half an hour.

Ngakia stepped in to steal the ball 30 yards out, exchanged passes with Torres and then continued his run into the box before letting fly with a shot that Adegoke had to go full-length to push away.

With the wind more in their faces after the restart, Watford still started brightly and when Torres danced into the box on the right and saw his low shot blocked, Morris ran onto the loose ball and struck it goalwards, only to see it deflected wide.

There was a scare in the 57th minute as the wind held up Macaulay’s throw out and dropped it at the feet of Charlton’s Terry Taylor. He sent over a cross towards the back post where Ryan Huke shot into the side-netting.

Charlie Stallard’s smart tackle on halfway allowed Grieves to take the ball and play it into Torres and then take the return in his stride before shooting just wide – after which he, Ngakia and Morris made way for Zak Fraser-Grante, Freddie Buers and Alistair Gould.

The home side had the ball in the net when Gough turned it home after a scramble, but the midfielder was offside.

Watford then capitalised by regaining the lead in the 68th minute.

Attacking centrally, the ball was shifted right by Davis and Torres steadied himself before nudging the it past a defender and to create enough room for him to send a low, well-struck drive across the keeper and inside the far post.

Five minutes later they went 3-1 up from a cleverly-worked corner routine.

Davis shaped to hit it into the box but instead dragged it short to Torres. He helped it into the path of Fraser-Grante whose shot from just outside the area took a deflection that helped it go beyond the reach of Adegoke.

Tobi Adeyemo came on soon after and will probably feel he should have done better than fire well over after Gould had got away down the right and dragged the ball back.

Just when it seemed like Watford were going to ease across the line, Charlton pulled a goal back in the 83rd minute.

Nathan Assimwe played a ball into the box to the feet of Huke, and he spun supremely well to create space before beating Macaulay with a shot into the corner.

The home side pressed for an equaliser but the closest they came was two minutes into stoppage time when substitute Jeremy Santos hit a shot from 20 yards that Macaulay got down to hold.

The victory means Charlie Daniels’ side are now unbeaten in five games, and have leapfrogged Charlton into sixth in the Premier League Development League South table.

They are due to play again this Friday evening, away to bottom-placed Colchester United, who they beat 2-1 at home back in September.

Watford: Macaulay, Ngakia (Gould 60), Morris (Buers 60), Gaspar (Gyamfi 70), Stallard, Clarridge, Torres, Davis, Hamiga (Adeyemo 70), Grieves (Fraser-Grante 60), Collins.