Watford Under-21s made it back-to-back victories when they claimed a 3-1 away success at Wigan Athletic this afternoon.

Having lost their previous three, the young Hornets have bounced back well to win two games in a week.

Skipper George Abbott continued his comeback after injury in defence, and he was replaced ten minutes into the second by Scott Holding after his loan at Dover ended.

Meanwhile young winger Amin Nabizada got another taste of Under-21 action, and ended a good performance with a goal and an assist.

The home side carved out the first opening after eight minutes but keeper Jonathan Macaulay did well to get off his line quickly and deny striker Leo Graham when he was through one-on-one.

It was Watford who made the breakthrough though, on the quarter-hour mark, as Nabizada seized on a mistake in the home side’s defence and rounded Wigan keeper Matt Wonnacott to put the Hornets ahead.

Wigan took time to regroup after going behind, and they didn’t trouble Watford until in the 25th minute when Max McMillan turned in the area and sent a curling shot over the bar.

Four minutes before half-time Macaulay excelled again, this time thrusting out an arm to deny McMillan after he had been sent through by a pass from Luke Brennan.

That save turned out to be the springboard for Watford to extend their advantage a minute into first-half stoppage time.

Zak Fraser-Grante ran onto a through ball by the trialist and tucked it away to send the Hornets went into the break with a two-goal cushion.

Ten minutes after the restart Wigan pulled a goal back.

Brennan sent a free kick out wide to McMillan, and when he centred Leo Graham took a touch before firing into the bottom corner.

In the 62nd minute the home side threatened an equaliser when McMillan crossed and Youssef Chentouf sent a header narrowly wide.

With three minutes left, Watford made sure of the points when Laken Torres headed home a fine cross from Nabizada.

At the death Macaulay made another top-notch save when he kept out a close-range effort from Reece Greenhalgh.

The victory cements Charlie Daniels’ Watford side in sixth place in the 10-team Premier League Development League South, six points clear of Cardiff City in seventh.

Watford: Macaulay; Gould, Watkiss (Buers), Coyne, Clarridge, Abbott (Holding 56), Fraser-Grante (Adeyemo 67), Ramirez-Espain, Torres, Trialist (Davis 67), Nabizada. Sub not used: Browne