Dean Bowditch was the star of the show as Town comfortably defeated Watford 4-1 at a windy Portman Road, the youngster netting the Blues' second hat-trick in five days. Jermaine Wright added the fourth late on, with Scott Fitzgerald having scored Watford's goal in first half injury time.

Town lined-up as at Walsall in the week but with John McGreal replacing the injured Richard Naylor at the centre of defence alongside home debutant Matt Elliott. Dean Bowditch kept his place in the side for his second league start.

Darren Bent came close to an early goal in the fourth minute when he latched on to a loose ball in the box but sent his shot across the face of Lenny Pidgeley's goal.

However, Town only had to wait another 60 seconds before they went in front, in more than slightly bizarre circumstances.

Darren Bent flicked on a long ball, Sean Dyche knocking it back to Pidgeley. The 20-year-old, on loan from Chelsea, air-kicked Bryan Gunn style and Bowditch opened his league goals account with what will probably prove to be the simplest finish of his entire career, tapping into the empty net from two yards out.

While Bowditch celebrated, Pidgeley looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him up, but surprisingly received little encouragement of words of support from his team-mates.

Town were well on top and passing the ball around with the same guile as in the games against Norwich and Walsall. Every time the ball went near Pidgeley the North Stand cheered, the young stopper rather uncharitably asked if he was “Andy Marshall in disguise”.

Despite the bulk of the possession, the Blues hadn't really created too many chances. However, on 24 they went two in front. Bowditch sought to play in Darren Bent on the Town right, a defender getting his foot in the way but returning the ball to the England U21 international.

Bent did well to cross the ball into the path of Bowditch, who took the ball down with his chest on the edge of the area and slipped it past the on-rushing Pidgeley and into the corner of the net.

A minute later the Blues were almost three-up when Matt Elliott powered a header from a Jim Magilton freekick straight at the Watford keeper.

Just after the half hour Watford had their first serious attempt on the Town goal. John McGreal failed to make significant contact on a ball over the top and Heidar Helguson got beyond him but was blocked by Kelvin Davis who had come swiftly off his line.

Darren Bent was close to his fifth goal in eight days in the 35th minute when Matt Richards tried to play him through on the left. Pidgeley was sharp to Bent's pace and grabbed the ball at his feet.

There was danger at the other end a minute later when Chris Baird, on loan with the Hornets from Southampton, sent the ball across the face of the Town goal, Helguson narrowly avoiding getting a toe on it. Helguson wasn't too far away from scoring in the 40th minute, his 20-yard strike flying past Davis's right post.

Pidgeley was having one of those afternoons in the visitors' goal. On 41 he almost succeeded in gifting another goal when he juggled a Jim Magilton cross only narrowly past his own post.

Town once again showed their tendency to concede goals in first half injury time when Scott Fitzgerald was allowed to turn and shoot inside a crowded area, beating Davis to his right.

What ought to have been a very comfortable lead at the break was now only one goal, the Blues again showing their frailties from set pieces; Fitzgerald's goal coming in the wake of a corner which had not been properly cleared.

Micah Hyde hit the first shot of the second half, a low effort from 20 yards which gave Davis no trouble. Soon after Matt Elliott headed a Jim Magilton corner wide of the Watford goal.

Darren Bent came close to adding Town's third when Dean Bowditch broke down the right and laid the ball into him. Bent got power in his shot but put it wide of Pidgeley's post. On 59 Westlake sent a shot well wide of the Watford goal from the edge of the box.

Bowditch wrapped up his hat-trick in the 61st minute, courtesy of some non-existent defending from the Watford backline. Kelvin Davis kicked long, the swirling wind holding the ball up and allowing Bowditch to nip in behind the Hornets' backline, beat Pidgeley to the ball and slip the ball home.

The 17-year-old grabbed the ball and held it above his head in the manner of Shane Warne claiming a five-wicket haul, a hat-trick which perhaps confirmed his arrival on the first team scene.

Referee Paul Robinson had had an unobtrusive game and finally got his yellow card out for the first and only time when he booked Heidar Helguson for dissent in the 67th minute.

Kelvin Davis had little trouble with a Micah Hyde shot from the edge of the box on 80, around the time Joe Royle decided to make changes to his side, still well in command of the game. On came Shefki Kuqi and Scott Mitchell — making his senior home debut — and off went the impressive Jim Magilton and Darren Bent.

Mitchell came close to a goal with one of his first touches of the ball, the 18-year-old curling a wind-assisted shot past Pidgeley's left post. At the Town end, Gavin Mahon failed to give Kelvin Davis too much trouble with a low shot from the left.

With the game in injury time, good work from Mitchell sent Kuqi away on the right, the Finn cutting in and playing the ball across the edge of the box to Jermaine Wright who hit a powerful left-foot shot past Pidgeley and into the net.

The whistle went not long after, the Sky cameras immediately chasing Dean Bowditch as he went after the match ball, shaking hands with the unfortunate Pidgeley as he did so.

Bowditch will take most of the plaudits for a fine hat-trick but there were few Town players who had bad games on a day when Watford were thoroughly out-played. The only negative was the Hornets' goal just before half-time which shows that, despite the introduction of Matt Elliott, the defensive frailties remain.

A second Town hat-trick in a week, the first time this has happened since February 1998 when Alex Mathie notched three against Norwich and David Johnson netted a triumvirate against Oxford three days later.

Two wins in a week have put Town's play-off challenge back on track, and another three points against Wimbledon next week will do even more to keep the Blues in with a shot at a trip to Cardiff in May.

Town: Davis, Wilnis, Richards, McGreal, Elliott, Magilton (Mitchell 80), Miller, Wright, Westlake, Bent (Kuqi 80), Bowditch.

Photo: Action Images

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