A debut goal from loan striker Shefki Kuqi and a late stunner from Jim Magilton saw Town come from behind to beat Watford 2-1 at Vicarage Road. After a first half where neither side impressed, Scott Fitzgerald put the home team ahead before the Blues took control and deservedly claimed the three points.

Darren Bent returned to the Town attack after missing out at Notts County with a knee injury. The youngster was alongside Alun Armstrong in attack, the former Boro man having been on the bench at Meadow Lane.

Chris Bart-Williams came back into midfield after being refused permission to play in the Carling Cup while Ian Westlake replaced the injured Alan Mahon on the left.

Armstrong was quickly into the action, giving former Blues' keeper Alec Chamberlain an aerial clattering within the first minute, the veteran stopper proving to be made of stern stuff.

Town skipper Jim Magilton came very close to opening the scoring at the wrong end when he headed a Neal Ardley corner towards his own goal. Fortunately Matt Richards was there to head away.

Even then the danger wasn't gone and Fabian Wilnis had to stop a subsequent Paul Devlin shot, according to the Watford players with his hand. Referee Tony Leake awarded only a corner.

The early chances continued and in the fourth minute Jermaine Wright wasn't far from his second goal of the season, his long distance shot hitting the outside of Chamberlain's left post.

Neither side was looking at their most confident and the game began to drift into a mainly midfield battle.

The Blues put together perhaps the best move of the half in the 19th minute, a one-touch interchange involving Darren Bent, Jim Magilton and Jermaine Wright inside the area setting up Alun Armstrong whose shot was blocked.

A minute later Watford striker Danny Webber will have been embarrassed to see his shot from the right of goal go out for a throw-in on the left. To be fair to the former Manchester United trainee he had done well to beat Matt Richards and his shot was from a tight angle.

Webber probably should have scored when poor defending on the edge of the area from Westlake and Magilton in particular saw him through on goal. Kelvin Davis did well to save his first shot and Richard Naylor threw himself in to block his second attempt with the keeper still grounded.

Webber, who racked-up an enormous offside count throughout the match, was again a danger just after the half hour when he caught Chris Bart-Williams in possession ten yards outside the Blues' area. The on-loan midfielder chased back well and blocked the Watford striker's shot.

Shortly afterwards Webber volleyed over the bar from just inside the Town box and then Scott Fitzgerald shot straight at Kelvin Davis.

Chris Bart-Williams continued his run of being booked in every game for the Blues when he was penalised for a foul on Ardley in the centre circle. The ball had got under the Charlton player's feet and he had lost it to the former Wimbledon man.

Just before the break Richard Naylor headed a Jim Magilton freekick from ten yards inside the Watford half just by the post.

Both sides had looked out of sorts in the first period, although Watford should probably have been ahead through Webber's 26th minute efforts.

Joe Royle clearly decided that his team was not providing enough of a threat and made two changes. New loan signing Shefki Kuqi replaced Alun Armstrong up front while Ian Westlake made way for Pablo Couñago, Town moving to a three-man attack.

Watford started the half very strongly indeed and Fitzgerald had an early shot blocked for a corner. The same player forced Richard Naylor into a foul just outside the Blues' box on 48, the Town defender picking up a yellow card. Lee Cook's freekick looked a goal all the way until Kelvin Davis tipped it round his right-hand post.

But in the 49th minute Davis would be beaten. A shot from ten yards outside the box from Lee Cook landed straight at Fitzgerald's feet on the penalty spot, the striker turning and shooting past Kelvin Davis. There were suspicions of offside, seemingly borne out by the video evidence on the big screen close to the travelling Town support.

Two minutes later Town were back on terms. Jim Magilton received the ball in the middle of the park and passed into the path of Shefki Kuqi on the Town right inside the area. The loanee got his right foot to the ball and sent it back across the advancing Chamberlain and into the net, just six minutes into his Town career.

The Blues would take control for much of the rest of the game. Chris Bart-Williams put a strike wide after good work from Pablo Couñago. The Spaniard then played in Darren Bent with an intelligent pass but Bent's early shot was straight at Chamberlain.

Kuqi was proving the powerful and dangerous presence that Joe Royle had obviously hoped for and in the 58th minute his work on the right teed-up Jim Magilton but the Northern Irishman scuffed the ball wide.

The Finnish international might have had a second in the 68th minute but he headed Fabian Wilnis' cross from the right over the Watford bar, Wilnis' fine ball having completed an excellent Town move which included a stylish Jim Magilton backheel to Chris Bart-Williams.

Soon after Pablo Couñago's shot was blocked after one of his tenacious runs across an opposing box.

With 11 minutes remaining Kuqi ran on to a Magilton pass but shot across the face of goal. The Blues were having the chances but it was starting to appear that the goal wouldn't come.

But with fans beginning to expect a draw, Jim Magilton conjured a goal of rare quality. The Blues' skipper has been close on a number of occasions recently, hitting the bar against Wimbledon and curling a freekick just wide in the same match.

At West Brom his dipping and curling effort was well-saved by Russell Hoult and it was a similar attempt which beat Alec Chamberlain. Pablo Couñago had been dispossessed inside the area on the Town right, the ball breaking to Magilton on the edge of the box. He sent the ball first time high over Chamberlain's head and dipping just under the bar.

In the latter stages a Couñago strike went straight at Chamberlain as did a Bart-Williams freekick after a foul on the Spaniard a few yards outside the Watford box. The home side rarely threatened in the closing stages and the Blues saw out the final moments with little difficulty.

A fine second half performance gave Town their first away win of the season in front of a large travelling army of fans. While there will be an inquest into the Watford goal, Richard Naylor and Georges Santos did well at central defence.

Jim Magilton is certainly helped by the dependable Chris Bart-Williams playing behind him and getting more involved with defensive duties. This allows Magilton to get most involved creatively.

Second half sub Shefki Kuqi will be pleased with his goal and his overall contribution, his hold-up play and strength something the Blues have been missing so far this season. Pablo Couñago was more effective than on most occasions this season.

Three league wins in a row gives the season as a whole a better look and another win at Sunderland on Tuesday will go a long way to further to improving the mood.

Town: Davis, Wilnis, Richards, Santos, Naylor, Magilton, Wright, Bart-Williams, Westlake (Couñago 46), Armstrong (Kuqi 46), Bent.

Photo: Action Images

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