A first league clean sheet in nine games since August 17 and an Edo Kayembe penalty saw Watford return to winning ways with a 1-0 defeat of Blackburn at Vicarage Road.

There was one change to the starting line-up from the game at Leeds, with Ryan Porteous coming in for James Morris.

Imran Louza returned to the bench, but there was no place in the 20-man squad again for Daniel Jebbison.

After starting somewhat cautiously and surviving a double strike of the woodwork, Watford gradually got on top but didn’t create a huge amount.

The second half saw few chances created and once Edo Kayembe had calmly stroked home a penalty awarded for handball, the Hornets looked comfortable as they saw they game out.

Here’s how the game unfolded:

8 - Beck crosses from the right, low towards the near. Bachmann gets a hand on it but it falls to Hyam who lashes it against the bar, the ball then dropping and hitting the post and bouncing out. Incredible let-off.

15 - Larouci's cross is deflected into the path of Sissoko but his shot is blocked at close range by a defender.

22 - Ince curled a free kick from the right, Sierralta rose highest but his header was deflected wide for a corner.

33 - Glorious chance as Ince releases Ebosele down the right, his cross beats the defenders and lands in front of Baah, but he screws a volley over the top.

44 - Tremendous run by Chakvetadze took him deep into the box and his curling cross was turned wide by a defender at the back post.

Half-time – Watford 0 Blackburn 0

58 - Blackburn's best chance so far as Cantwell chips over the Watford defence but the breaking Weimann lifts the ball over the bar.

70 – Watford 1 (Kayembe pen) Blackburn 0

Baah’s cross is deflected up in the air and hit the hand of Hedges. Referee Mr England points to the spot and Kayembe sends Pears the wrong way.

83 - Quick Watford break saw Chakvetadze advance through the centre and then slip the ball left to Vata, who hammered a shot into the side netting from a tight angle.

86 - Corner half-cleared, drops to Vata just outside the box and he sends a shot just wide.

89 - Free-kick lands in space in the box but the stretching Dolan prods it over the bar.

Watford: Bachmann; Porteous, Sierralta, Pollock (Vata 66); Ebosele, Sissoko, Kayembe, Larouci (Sema 66); Chakvetadze, Ince (Bayo 56); Baah (Andrews 84). Subs: Bond, Louza, Tikvic, Doumbia, Morris