Watford Under-21s' winning start to the new season was brought to an abrupt halt as they were beaten 4-0 by Birmingham City at home this afternoon.

Charlie Daniels’ side had six points from two games before today, but were three down by half-time.

Birmingham had lost their first two games coming into the fixture at London Colney, and conceded nine goals in the process.

Twice inside the first five minutes Tobi Adeyemo came close to breaking the deadlock but it was the visitors that struck first after 12 minutes when Dan Isichei slid in to convert a low cross from Ben Wodskou.

After George Abbott saw a shot amid a goalmouth scramble deflected wide, the Blues came close to extending their advantage when Menzi Mazwi cut in from the flank and let fly from 25 yards, only to see Jonathan Macaulay make a fine save to tip the ball over the bar.

However, Birmingham took a firm grip on the game with two goals in the space of six minutes.

First with 27 minutes on the clock Josh Home won the ball and it ran for O’Shea Ellis to bury a shot into the far corner.

Ellis struck again soon after and it was a superb goal, as he sent a curling 30-yard effort into the net via both the crossbar and upright.

Two minutes into the second half Macaulay made another good save to deny Josh Williams.

The young Hornets came close to pulling one back with a quarter of an hour to go as Amin Nabizada saw an effort from close range pushed away by City keeper Brad Mayo and, from the resultant corner, James Clarridge had a header deflected wide of the target.

If the game wasn’t already over, Birmingham certainly put it to bed in the 80th minute as Josh Williams burst away down the right and fired into the roof of the net to make it 4-0.

Next Monday (September 2), the Under-21s follow in the footsteps of the first team when they travel to face Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

Watford: Macaulay; Abbott, Watkiss, Eames, Clarridge, Trialist (Mullins ht), Garcia-Romero (Massiah-Edwards 62), Torres (Coyne ht), Adeyemo, Lawson (Nabizada 68), Adu-Poku. Unused sub: Ortelli