Early round League Cup ties against lower-division opposition have been something of a major problem for Watford in recent years – but not tonight.

They dominated from the first to the last and the margin of their 5-0 victory over League Two MK Dons only served to underscore their control of the game.

Tom Ince scored a hat-trick, there was a first Watford goal for skipper Mattie Pollock and Kwadwo Baah netted on his debut, three years after joining the club.

The Hornets mustered 24 goal attempts, half of which were on target and Dons keeper Nathan Harness made seven saves, though a couple of the goals that beat him were down to his own errors.

There will be many tougher tests ahead, but making seven changes while maintaining the confidence from Saturday at Millwall and being able to dictate the vast majority of the game is another tick in the book for Tom Cleverley and his team.

As expected, it was a much-changed Watford line-up.

Jonathan Bond replaced Daniel Bachmann in goal, while there was a debut for summer signing from Celtic Rocco Vata.

Mattie Pollock captained a defence that included James Morris on the left of the three, while Imran Louza partnered Tom Dele-Bashiru in midfield.

Ken Sema was wide on the left, while Tom Ince was Vata’s No.10 partner and Mileta Rajovic led the line.

On the bench were Antonio Tikvic and Vakoun Bayo, while youngsters Alfie Marriott and Leo Ramriez-Espain were also among the subs.

The first half was dominated territorially, in terms of possession and in goal attempts by Watford, who mustered 13 efforts and enjoyed 70% of the ball.

They became more and more threatening as the half wore on, and 2-0 probably didn’t tell the story of quite how on top they were.

3 - Cheeky attempt from Leigh to chip Bond from 40 yards but it's comfortably wide.

13 - Floated pass from Pollock gets Rajovic a yard in behind the defence but he scuffs his shot and Harness gathers.

18 - Another great ball in behind from Pollock sets Ince free but, as Harness rushes off his line, the Watford midfielder lifts the ball over him and wide of the back post.

19 - This time Vata breaks behind the MK defence, cuts in and tries a shot from a tight angle that Harness blocks.

21 - Louza's loose pass puts Bond under pressure and when he clears it only goes as far as Tomlinson. He takes aim from 40 yards and with Bond scrambling to get back Sierralta is on hand to block with his chest.

24 – Watford 1 (Pollock) MK Dons 0

Skippers the team, scores the first goal! Louza hits a deep corner and Pollock rises well to powerfully head back across goal and inside the post.

36 – Dons have a free kick on the edge of the box but a dreadful effort from Tomlinson, who hit it so hard and high that it nearly made the back of the Rookery!

38 - Cross is only half-cleared to Dele-Bashiru just inside the box. He let's fly with power but Harness makes a fine parry.

40 - Morris feeds Rajovic who lays the ball off to Ince. He takes a touch and sends in a low shot that Harness pushes wide at full stretch.

42 - Sierralta flicks Ince's corner onto the bar, Dons don't fully clear and Vata hooks a volley that Harness manages to hold.

43 - Vata's corner is cleared but returned to him, and he jinks inside before curling a shot across the face of goal and wide of the back post.

45 – Watford 2 (Ince) MK Dons 0

Such a well-worked goal as Louza curls a ball over the top and Andrews controls it magnificently on his chest and he sprints into the box. He could have shot but instead rolled the ball square for Ince to score from close range.

Half-time – Watford 2 MK Dons 0

46 - Quick break from the visitors sees them with three-on-two but when Tomlinson shoots Bond is equal to it and turns it round the post.

48 - Ince picks out Vata, and he chops back inside and lets fly from 20 yards, Harness diving to his right to push the ball away.

51 - Wearne sends in a low 20-yard shot and Bond dives to palm it round the upright.

63 – Watford 3 (Baah) MK Dons 0

Very clever skill on the touchline from Larouci who used the space he created to slide the ball behind the defence for Baah to run into the box. The advancing Harness got something on the shot but not enough to deny Baah a debut goal.

67 – Watford 4 (Ince) MK Dons 0

It wasn't the cleanest strike from Ince from just ouside the box but it spun up and over the diving Harness and into the net.

74 – Watford 5 (Ince) MK Dons 0

Dele-Bashiru bursts into the box on the right and, when Harness parries his shot, Ince is there to tap in for his hat-trick.

Watford: Bond; Pollock, Sierralta (Tikvic 75), Morris; Andrews, Dele-Bashiru (Ramirez-Espain 75), Louza, Sema (Larouci 61); Ince, Vata (Baah 61); Rajovic (Doumbia 61). Subs not used: Marriott, Porteous, Bayo, Kayembe