Malky Mackay praised Watford's team spirit and togetherness following this afternoon's 1-0 victory over Barnsley and claimed it was his side's “resilience and character” which secured the three points.

The Hornets scored after just 40 seconds this afternoon and defended bravely in the second half to end their five-match win-less run.

Hornets manager Malky Mackay said: “I think the early goal helps settle us and the fans and meant we could ease our way into the game.

“The team you are playing against then also have to come out a bit more and cannot ease their way into the game.

“They came at us and it made it end-to-end stuff. I know at half time that in the second half they were going to come at us again and it was resilience and character that got us through the second half.

“I am sure Mark Robins will feel his side have played much worse this season and won games, but we have all been like that this season.

“I told the players in the dressing room just now that it is their team spirit and their togetherness this season that saw the game out, because people have put bodies on the line for each other, filling in for each other and were putting blocks in galore at the end.”

The win came after back-to-back 2-2 draws with Norwich City and Leeds United but Mackay insisted Barnsley were just as tough an opposition as the high-flying pair.

Mackay said: “We have had Norwich City and Leeds United in the last ten days or so and you are playing two of the top teams in the division, but this was just as important a game as any of them because I knew if we didn't compete for every ball, they can knock it about and come at us and that is what they did do.

“So I was disappointed we did not go two ahead to get some breathing space. If we had gone in 2-0 then it would have changed things.”