Town fell to their first league defeat of the season as Watford ran out 2-0 winners at Vicarage Road. Mistakes from Alex Bruce and Neil Alexander gifted the Hornets the opener on five, with Tommy Smith wrapping the game up in the second half.

Jim Magilton named an unchanged side with keeper Neil Alexander not having to make a late dash back to Suffolk to be with his wife who is close to giving birth to the couple's second child.

Watford went ahead with their first attack of the game. Alex Bruce appeared to pull out of a header, as if he heard a call from behind him, and Lee Williamson seized on the ball and laid it back to Darius Henderson, who hit a shot which appeared to go under Alexander and into the net.

Town had the better of the early stages despite going behind, although the Hornets weren't too far from a second goal when Marlon King flicked on a long Lloyd Doyley throw on the right, but Alexander reacted quickly to catch.

The Blues were dominating the possession but without creating anything. On 20 Owen Garvan found Jon Walters in the centre circle as Town broke, the former Chester man underhitting his ball to Pablo Couñago only for Danny Shittu to miss it completely. Unfortunately for Town, the Spaniard was surprised by the ball and his first touch rolled harmlessly through to Mart Poom.

Darius Henderson should have scored his second of the afternoon in the 26th minute when found close in but somehow managed to head over the bar.

On the half hour, Henderson's header was easy for Alexander, then Gary Roberts shot well over for the Blues from a Couñago pass. Alan Lee went off for treatment to a head wound on 32 but was soon back sporting an unnumbered shirt.

On 40 Roberts was yellow-carded for a poor challenge on Jordan Stewart, then excellent work from Walters on the right set up Garvan for a shot from the edge of the area but the Irishman's effort flew wide. A minute later, Bruce headed a freekick wide.

In injury time, Williamson shot over from the edge of the box after he had caught Walters in possession. Henderson missed another good chance before the whistle, putting the ball into the sidenetting after being found unmarked at the far post from a freekick.

Town had enjoyed a lot of possession during the first half, but without looking dangerous in and around the penalty area. The early, very preventable, goal allowed Watford to play to their strengths, the Hornets largely sitting back in numbers and trying to catch Town with their long ball, fast-breaking game.

Owen Garvan shot over with the second half's first effort, then Marlon King's strike flew straight at Neil Alexander.

Garvan felt he was fouled on the edge of the area in the 54th minute as he tried to complete a one-two with Jason De Vos, but referee Mike Jones disagreed. The early period of the half was all Town, but the Blues were still to test Hornets' keeper Mart Poom.

On the hour, a weak Dan Harding clearance fell for Henderson but again the former Reading man spurned the opportunity to add to his earlier goal, the ball flying harmlessly wide of Alexander's goal. Town switched Alan Lee, who was suffering with a hamstring injury, for Billy Clarke, then five minutes later replaced the again ineffective Gary Roberts for Jaime Peters.

The Canadian was quickly into the action and drew a freekick and yellow card from Williamson. Town were continuing to dominate, but had created no serious chances, overplaying on a number of occasions around the edge of the area and players all too often running into the massed ranks of the Watford defence.

Alex Bruce blocked a Jobi McAnuff shot from the left with a flying header. From the resultant corner, the ball fell to Shittu on the edge of the area, but his shot flew to Alexander.

On 75 McAnuff sent the ball across the six-yard box but ahead of any of his team-mates. However, Tommy Smith brought the ball back inside from the right five yards outside the area before unleashing a shot which gave Alexander no chance. The goal was very much against the run of play, but with Town by now devoid of attacking ideas, the game was all but settled.

The Blues pushed forward and left space at the back as they looked for a goal and Watford sub Nathan Ellington slammed the ball against Neil Alexander's post and then shot wide.

A disappointing afternoon for Town against a side which looked very beatable, despite the result taking Watford to the top of the table. It was very much back to the frustrating performances of January and February with the Blues lacking composure and conviction in and around the penalty area.

Despite having most of the ball, particularly in the second half, all too often crosses hit the first defender, went behind or were too long, while the final pass was invariably mis-hit. Town's lack of attacking endeavour was illustrated by their complete lack of shots on target with too many players unwilling to shoot from the edge of the area, preferring instead to move the ball wide.

The Blues were also disappointing from set pieces, corners particularly, while the first goal was a poor one to concede with Alex Bruce and Neil Alexander both at fault.

Despite the defeat being Town's first in the league this season, boss Jim Magilton may be concerned at his side's toothlessness and the similarity to the goal-shy displays of the middle period of last season.

Town: Alexander, Wright, Harding, De Vos, Bruce, Garvan, Miller, Roberts (Peters 65), Walters, Lee (Clarke 60), Couñago. Unused: Supple, Legwinski, Casement. Att: 17,295.

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