Watford 2-0 Bristol City
Adam Baker reports from Vicarage Road

City were made to pay for a poor first-half showing as Watford ran out comfortable winners at Vicarage Road.

Poor defending allowed Heidar Helguson and Martin Taylor to net the vital goals on 14 and 34 minutes.

And although City, who made changes in personnel and shape at half-time, improved in the second half, they were unable to net even a consolation.

Nicky Maynard, Danny Haynes and Jamal Campbell-Ryce were all ruled out through injury, and manager Gary Johnson opted to start the game with a 3-4-1-2 formation, with David Clarkson in the hole supporting Patrick Agyemang and Alvaro Saborio. Cole Skuse and Lee Johnson earned recalls in central midfield.

Another blow came in the warm-up when Evander Sno was stretchered off with a back injury, meaning Joe Edwards was added to the bench.

Louis Carey gets the better of Watford's Liam Henderson

Watford took the game to their visitors very early on and were almost rewarded in the third minute when Don Cowie's corner was headed inches of the upright by an unmarked Taylor.

Louis Carey survived a penalty appeal when he fired a clearance against his own arm, and at the other end City's skipper headed narrowly wide from Clarkson's cross.

The home fans were soon celebrating though, as Adrian Mariappa twisted and turned past Alvaro Saborio on the right flank and centred a cross for Helguson to head in unchallenged.

Cole Skuse's 30-yard volley over the top was all City could respond with, as the midfielder and Saborio soon entered for late challenges on Helguson and Jay DeMerit respectively.

But the second goal arrived in the 34th minute when Henri Lansbury sent a raking free kick across the pitch and Taylor shook off Lewin Nyatanga to rattle a volleyed effort back across goal and in off the post.

Cole Skuse skips past a challenge against Watford

City finally enjoyed a better spell of play towards the end of the half as Mariappa blocked Jamie McAllister's goal-bound effort and Clarkson hit the side-netting with a sliding effort.

A limping McAllister was replaced at half-time along with Saborio, as Ivan Sproule and Marvin Elliott entered the field. City switched to a 4-4-2 formation, with Sproule on the right and Skuse moving out to the left.

City certainly improved after the break as Liam Fontaine forced a superb one-handed save from Loach, heading towards the top corner from Lee Johnson's free kick.

Johnson then took the ball from Elliott's toes following good work from Sproule down the right. Moments later Johnson himself won the ball with a crunching challenge on DeMerit but he was tackled as he prepared to pull the trigger.

Johnson's corner on 62 minutes was flicked on by Elliott and Patrick Agyemang, with his back to goal, guided the ball just over the top with a delicate header.

At the other end Fontaine blocked a venomous shot from substitute Liam Henderson, as Watford enjoyed a brief respite.

A late rally came from City but they rarely troubled Loach in the Watford once more.

The team can take some heart from a better second-half performance, but there's no doubt that it was in the first 45 where this match slipped away.