Vakoun Bayo’s fifth goal in three games was enough to take Watford to fourth in the Championship as they beat Oxford 1-0.

The Hornets ought to have won more comfortably as they bossed the second half after a tame and low-key opening 45 minutes.

There were five changes to the team that started at Swansea in midweek.

Francisco Sierralta was suspended, while Pierre Dwomoh, Yasser Larouci, Tom Ince and Ken Sema dropped to the bench.

In came Ryan Porteous, James Morris, Imran Louza, Ryan Andrews and Kwadwo Baah.

There were very few chances in a low-key first half that Watford grew into and were offering what little threat there was by the break.

The second half was far better and the Hornets were quickly on top, being rewarded when Vakoun Bayo’s fifth goal in three games broke the deadlock.

Watford had several chances to kill the game and when they didn’t take them it made the last few minutes tense as Oxford had a go with nothing to lose.

Here’s how the action unfolded:

4 - Leigh collects a pass that is slightly behind him and shoots way over from 25 yards.

27 - Goodrham takes aim from 25 yards but his shot was always drifting wide of the back post.

32 - Watford's first attempt, of sorts, as a corner is cleared to Louza but his shot is deflected up in the air and is easily gathered by Cumming.

36 - Closest so far as Kioso cuts in from the right to the by-line and slides the ball across of the face of goal but just too far ahead of Scarlett.

39 - Kayembe made space for a shot 20 yards out but sent it some way over the bar.

42 - Let off for Oxford as Kayembe reads Cummins pass out from the box but his touch just allows the keeper to slide out and block.

45+1 - Chakvetadze's viciously struck corner headed out from under his own bar by Moore

Half-time – Watford 0 Oxford 0

46 - Louza totally split the defence and Ebosele raced clear into the box. He took too long though, and Leigh got back to dispossess him.

47 - Andrews comes in from the right but sends a rising shot wide of the back post.

54 – Watford 1 (Bayo) Oxford 0

Tremendous burst down the right by Baah, who spots that Bayo had peeled off in the middle and squares to him. Cumming does well to stop the striker's first effort, but cannot keep out the follow-up.

56 - Surging break from Chakvetadze takes him to the edge of the box before his back-heel tees up Kayembe, but his shot is too weak to trouble Cumming.

66 - Corner cleared back to Chakvetadze, he danced into the box and clipped the ball towards the far top corner but it was headed clear.

67 - Oxford twice head clear from inside their own six-yard box from a Louza corner before Porteous loops an effort over the top.

71 - Watford made a mess of clearing a cross and Ter Avest poked the ball goalwards, but Bachmann reacted quickly to save.

72 - Vata attacked the left of the box and then drove a shot which Cumming parried at his near post.

78 - Chakvetadze runs at the heart of the Oxford defence and his fierce shot from 20 yards is tipped over by Cumming.

79 - Chakvetadze's cross is controlled by Pollock but his shot is blocked at close range.

82 - Larouci's cross from the left runs perfectly for Bayo, but Cumming saves his shot with an outstretched leg.

84 - Quick ball forward gets Harris in behind the Watford defence. He tries to catch out Bachmann with an early shot but the keeper pushes it wide.

88 - Bachmann makes a good stop to keep out Moore's header from a free-kick, the ball drops in the six-yard box and Harris sends an overhead kick too high.

Watford: Bachmann; Porteous, Pollock, Morris; Andrews, Louza (Ince 90+1), Kayembe (Dwomoh 77), Ebosele (Larouci 64); Baah (Vata 64), Bayo (Jebbison 90+1), Chakvetadze. Subs: Bond, Sema, Tikvic, Doumbia