Hornets point to better times ahead

Watford rarely moved into top gear, although two moments of class from the Hornets' Old Trafford connection settled matters. Former Red Devil Danny Webber's shot looked to be heading for the corner on 22 minutes when Barry Ashby turned the ball into his own net before United loanee Chris Eagles, on as a substitute, scored a wonderful solo effort in second-half injury time.

Gillingham had their chances, and hit the face of the cross-bar twice, but, encouragingly for the Hornets, they were able to hold onto the points without being anywhere near their best.

Ray Lewington, as expected, reverted to 4-4-2, but the only surprise in the line-up was the inclusion of Lloyd Doyley for James Chambers, who was not in the 16.

Gillingham, meanwhile, made four changes to the team which was beaten 2-0 at Leicester. Jason Brown replaced Steve Banks in goal, Ashby came in for Chris Hope, while new signing Mike Flynn won a place in midfield ahead of Alan Pouton, who was on the bench.

Watford were slow to get out of the starting blocks and the home side had something of a let-off two minutes in when a loose Gavin Mahon clearance was pounced upon by Darren Byfield and he crossed from the left but Nicky Southall, in plenty of space, could only head over.

Neither side were able to find their fluency in what was a fairly dire opening to the game, although Jay DeMerit's pin-point 40-yard cross-field ball did release Paul Devlin on the right but his low cross was easily cleared by Ian Cox.

Darius Henderson tested Paul Jones with a header from Southall's cross from the right but the Watford keeper gathered comfortably. Lloyd Doyley then mis-placed a pass back to Jones which ran out for a corner but it was comfortably cleared.

However, Watford produced a genuine moment of class on 22 minutes to take the lead.

Webber picked the ball up central to goal midway in the Gillingham half and played a neat one-two with Johnnie Jackson before picking the return ball up in the opposition's penalty area. Webber then showed great skill to juggle his way past two defenders and, from right of the goal drove low across Jason Brown. The ball may have been sneaking into the far corner but Gills central defender Ashby deflected into his own net from three yards out while trying to clear.

The goal provided Watford with much-needed spark and Devlin fired straight at the keeper before Heidar Helguson headed Ardley's cross dangerously across goal but there were no takers.

Doyley and Devlin combined well on 36 minutes to release Webber on the right but his dangerous low cross was cleared by Ashby with Helguson waiting to pounce before Jackson and Ardley both tried their luck with shots; The Spurs loanee fired a half-volley just wide of Brown's left-hand post before Ardley stung the keeper's palms after working his way into space in the Gills box.

Gillingham could have grabbed an undeserved equaliser a minute before half-time though. Henderson latched onto a throughball and beat Jermaine Darlington for pace but, just as he was about to shoot, Cox got in a tackle and knocked the ball towards his own goal, forcing Jones to tip around the post.

Half-time 1-0 Watford should have doubled their lead within a minute of the restart. Devlin worked his way down the right before slipping in Doyley on the overlap. The full-back pulled his cross back for Jackson, who took the ball in his stride and made for the by-line before drilling the ball low across the goal for Ardley at the back post but Brown saved well with his feet.

Slowly though, the visitors began to force their way back into the game and came agonizingly close to levelling on 52 minutes when Mike Flynn's cross from the left was half-cleared into the path of Paul Smith and the Gills captain struck a fierce half-volley from the edge of the area which crashed back off the face of the cross-bar.

At the other end, Ardley's corner from the right found DeMerit in plenty of space and he volleyed towards goal and, although Brown fumbled the initial effort, he gathered at the second attempt to stop the ball crossing the line.

Still the Gills were not out out of it though and the visitors struck the woodwork for a second time on 61 minutes when Henderson flicked a free-kick over Jones but onto the face of the bar. Byfield then blasted the rebound wide.

Smith then had another effort deflected just over the bar as Watford struggled to get out of their own half before, with 15 minutes remaining, Ian Cox wasted Gillingham's best chance of the match when he fired over from eight yards out from Southall's dangerous cross from the right.

Byfield then completely missed the ball inside the Watford six-yard box after Flynn's long throw caused chaos in the Watford box although Watford did finally pose a threat of their own moments later when Helguson was only denied by a last-ditch tackle and Jackson fired a yard over from the edge of the box.

Chris Eagles replaced Devlin with just over ten minutes remaining and the Manchester United youngster made an immediate impact, breaking with pace and releasing Doyley but the full-back as a little unlucky to see his cross deflect off Nyron Nosworthy into Brown's hands.

Jones had to produce the save of the match with just over five minutes remaining, getting down well to his right to get a strong hand to Byfield's low effort across the goal.

Bruce Dyer could have made the game safe in the final minute but pulled the ball across Brown after being released by Eagles but it was the man on loan from Old Trafford who went on to clinch the points in injury-time with a wonderful second. The ball broke to Eagles 30 yards out and he drove towards goal, slipped past two Gillingham defenders and calmly slotted past Brown from 12 yards.

Watford: Jones; Doyley, Cox, DeMerit, Darlington; Devlin, Mahon, Jackson, Ardley; Helguson, Webber. Substitutes: Eagles for Devlin after 78 mins; Dyer for Webber after 86 mins. Bouazza, Chamberlain, McNamee not used.

Gillingham: Brown; Nosworthy, Ashby, Cox, Rose; Southall, Smith, Flynn, Crofts; Byfield, Henderson. Substitutes: Roberts for Rose after 83 mins. Hills, Bossu, Pouton, Beckwith not used.

Bookings: Cox for a foul on Byfield (55); Henderson for a foul on Cox (74); Attendance: 15,188 Referee: Andy Hall (Birmingham).