Hammers end Hornets' run

The Hornets looked a good bet to pick up a fifth Championship away win of the season after Bryn Gunnarsson and Bruce Dyer had put them firmly in the driving seat inside the opening 20 minutes, but within ten minutes the Hammers were all-square thanks to a rapid fire brace from Nigel Reo-Coker and Darren Powell.

In truth though, the Hornets were not playing particularly well even when they were two goals to the good, and the quality of the visitors' play increasingly deteriorated as the match progressed and it was no surprise when Sergei Rebrov fired the Hammers in front, although Heidar Helguson so nearly snatched a point in injury-time when his header struck a post.

Ray Lewington made one surprise change from the team which drew at Leeds, with Lloyd Doyley returning at right-back in place of Jack Smith, who was left out of the 16 altogether. Following his hamstring problems, the fit again Paul Devlin was back on the bench.

West Ham made two changes from the side which lost at Millwall, with Rebrov and Bobby Zamora coming into the attack for the suspended Marlon Harewood and Mauricio Tarrico, whose short-lived stint at Upton Park ended with the injury he received in the defeat and the subsequent cancellation of his contract.

The Hammers could have gone in front inside the opening 40 seconds when Luke Chadwick was played in on the right and he sent over a fine cross but Zamora rather got underneath his header and Richard Lee was able to save with ease. Then Steve Lomas tried an ambitious attempt from 30 yards which sailed over the bar.

West Ham continued to dominate the opening exchanges but they were caught cold after five minutes when Watford took the lead from their first attack. Neal Ardley fed Jermaine Darlington on the left and he played in a cross which Dyer got a touch on, and the ball ran perfectly back for Gunnarsson, breaking into the area, and he drilled a right-footed shot past Stephen Bywater for his third of the season.

The home side sought an instant response and they so nearly got it when Reo-Coker got on the end of Chris Powell cross from the left with his head, but Lee showed good reflexes to save going to his right.

The Hornets had another opportunity after 15 minutes when they were awarded a free-kick in a good position around 22 yards out, but Ardley curled his attempt wide of the far post.

Some indecisive defending from Sean Dyche led to Reo-Coker having a shot soon after, but he fired straight at Lee from a tight angle on the right side of the area. But some even worse play at the back from West Ham had more far-reaching consequences after 20 minutes. Having repelled a corner, Watford worked the ball out to Gavin Mahon, who clipped it forward. Tomas Repka was favourite to get to the ball first, and did, but only succeeded in heading the ball tamely down, letting in Dyer, who superbly lifted a shot over the stranded Bywater with the outside of his right foot and into the unguarded net to put Watford two up.

Gunnarsson was booked for a foul on Rebrov after 26 minutes and from the resultant free-kick West Ham pulled one back. Lee got down well to parry Rebrov's 20-yard effort, but only succeeded in pushing the ball back out into the path of Reo-Coker, who calmly side-footed home to make it 2-1.

Then within three minutes of an increasingly entertaining and eventful first-half, the Hammers were level. Matthew Etherington drifted in a corner from the right and Watford failed to pick up the run of Darren Powell as the big centre-half powered a header into the roof of the net, past the helpless Lee.

It could have got worse for Watford after 31 minutes when Darren Powell was inches away from connecting with Etherington's free-kick from the right, and then Neil Cox had to knock a Repka cross from a similar position behind his own goal.

Rebrov was also not far away from giving West Ham the lead after 39 minutes when he cut in on the left flank and fired a blistering right-foot shot narrowly wide of Lee's near post from the edge of the area, and then Watford were forced into a change, with Ashley Young replacing the injured Gunnarsson.

The last meaningful act of the first-half saw Carl Fletcher booked for a foul on Helguson.

Following a quiet opening to the second period, the Hornets had the first attempt when Dyer hit a shot on the turn over from the edge of the area following Helguson's knock down.

West Ham had the next chance when Chadwick beat Darlington with ease on the right and got to the by-line before pulling the ball back to Zamora, who laid it off to Lomas, but the Hammers skipper snatched his shot well. Next Rebrov curled a free-kick over the target after Mahon had conceded a foul around 25 yards from goal.

The opportunities continued to come at both ends, with Helguson heading a deep Cox free-kick onto the roof of the net, before the Hammers went in front after 57 minutes. Doyley was exposed as Etherington attacked him on the left before striking over a low cross which Zamora and Dyche both failed to make contact with before Rebrov, who was completely unmarked, slammed the ball home to make it 3-2.

Mahon was yellow-carded for a late lunge on Repka, before the Hornets were so nearly punished again on 64 minutes. After Doyley had given the ball away, both Cox and Dyche were guilty of trying to play offside as Etherington's clipped pass put Zamora in the clear, but he stabbed the ball narrowly wide of the far post. Zamora had another attempt soon after, but headed wide of the near post.

Mahon lashed a shot off target at the other end and Lomas had an effort deflected behind, before Devlin came on for Ardley and Marcus Gayle, making his first appearance of the season, replaced Darlington, as Watford went for three up front.

Bywater was a shade fortunate after 79 minutes when he saved a header from Helguson but almost carried the ball over his own line, but then an awful mistake from Dyche put Chadwick in on goal, but he was quickly closed down and Lee was able to save his weak shot.

Rebrov tried a cheeky free-kick which hit the side netting as West Ham maintained the pressure, and then Lee was forced to tip a Chadwick shot behind. The visitors did manage an attack after that, but it ended with Devlin shooting harmlessly over the bar.

West Ham strangely chose to make a change while defending a corner with three minutes remaining and it so nearly backfired on them. Young played in the set-piece from the left and Helguson headed down, with the ball bouncing back up and hitting the post as Bywater looked on helplessly, but with that chance went Watford's hopes of a point.

West Ham United: Bywater; Repka, D. Powell, Fletcher, C. Powell; Chadwick, Lomas, Reo-Coker, Etherington; Zamora, Rebrov. Substitutes: Ferdinand for Etherington after 88 mins; Sofiane, Ward, Noble and Walker not used.

Watford: Lee; Doyley, Cox, Dyche, Darlington; Chambers, Gunnarsson, Mahon, Ardley; Helguson, Dyer. Substitutes: Young for Gunnarsson after 41 mins; Devlin for Ardley after 70 mins; Gayle for Darlington after 78 mins; Fitzgerald and Chamberlain not used.

Bookings: Gunnarsson for a foul on Rebrov after 26 mins; Fletcher for a foul on Helguson after 44 mins; Mahon for a foul on Repka after 59 mins; Cox for dissent after 82 mins.

Attendance: 24,541.

Referee: K. Wright.