Jonathan Bond is set to make his first Watford start in the FA Cup third round tie against Bradford City at Vicarage Road tomorrow, with Sean Dyche vowing: “Make no mistake, we’re playing to win.”

With Rene Gilmartin’s loan at Yeovil Town having been extended by a further month this week, the 18-year-old should take his place in goal after the Hornets decided against appealing the controversial red card Scott Loach received in the 2-0 defeat at Portsmouth.

Loach will serve a one-match ban after referee Iain Williamson adjudged he had deliberately handled outside his penalty area and the Watford manager explained of the decision not to appeal: “It was a bit of everything – weighing up the one game, weighing up Jonathan Bond being introduced at some point, weighing up the appeals system which is indifferent, let’s say.

“I think it’s plain to see, certainly for 90 per cent of people I’ve spoken to, that it wasn’t a sending off but you need an appeals committee to see that, so we thought we’d leave it alone and get on with it.”

Bond, who has enjoyed successful loan spells at Brackley Town and Forest Green Rovers, is highly regarded at Vicarage Road and has previously been included in the Welsh senior squad, having gained international representative honours at Under-17 and Under-19 level.

“I think he’s in good shape at the moment,” said Dyche, who was nominated for the December Manager of the Month award.

“We like him, we think he’s developing nicely and he’s learning and it was great experience to get even that 12, 15 minutes in front of the packed home end at Portsmouth. He took a nice cross, had no chance with the goal but got a nice little feel for it.”

While the loan spells of Michael Kightly and Craig Beattie are over, Nyron Nosworthy could make an unexpected final appearance for the Hornets against the Bantams before his current deal ends on Sunday.

It is thought unlikely that Martin O’Neill will allow the centre-half to become cup tied but Dyche said yesterday: “We’re waiting on news from Sunderland. We’ve been monitoring it wisely, they’ve been very good with us and very open but obviously they’ve had a change of manager which changes that situation slightly, so we’re waiting on the new manager’s thoughts.

“Obviously Sunderland have got injuries so it all goes into the melting pot.”

The Hornets have fielded an unchanged side for the last three games but Loach’s suspension and Kightly’s return to Molineux mean Dyche will have to make two adjustments. But the manager has suggested more could be on the cards as he looks to give a game to “some big figures at the club” who have not featured recently to ensure they are ready for future matches.

Watford will be expected to progress against a side currently 18th in League Two but Dyche is not leaving anything to chance.

He said: “We approach it very seriously. I was in that team that used to turn teams over and I reflect on that and you have to take these teams seriously because there is that strange thing about the cup and we all want to fight against being the statistic.

“We take every game seriously but there will be no shortcuts, that’s for sure. We’ve got numerous reports on them, Michael Bryan’s back with us who was obviously on loan with them, so we’ll be gathering as much information as we can.

“Make no mistake, we’re playing to win. We always do, it’s part of my belief, and we’ll certainly be doing that this weekend.”