MATCH REPORT: Watford 2 Rotherham United 0

Watford climbed to third in the Championship standings as the Hornets beat Rotherham United 2-0 at Vicarage Road.

First half goals from Watford’s Christian Kabasele and Captain Troy Deeney got the Hornets back to winning ways as they beat Rotherham United 2-0 at Vicarage Road.

With 2,000 Hornets fans in attendance, Watford rose to 3^rd in the Championship standings and to within a point from the top.

Hornets manager Vladimir Ivic made three changes from the side who lost 0-1 to Cardiff City on the weekend.

Watford’s Kiko Femenia, Nathaniel Chalobah and Stipe Perica were back in the starting 11. Ben Wilmot, James Garner and Joao Pedro were all dropped.

Rotherham’s Billy Jones, Kyle Vassell and, Daniel Barlaser were back in the Millers starting 11. Wood, Ladapo and Mattock were all dropped.

The hosts were quick off the block in Hertfordshire. Watford forward Stipe Perica won the first corner of the game as Rotherham goalkeeper Jamal Blackman made an impressive stop to keep the Hornets from taking the lead in the 2^nd minute.

Christian Kabasele scored from the resultant corner, the Belgian finding the bottom corner in the 3^rd minute.

Just over ten minutes after the opener and Ivic’s Watford had a second. Captain Troy Deeney doubled the score. The Hornets skipper tapped home from a Femenia cross in the 15^th minute. Watford made light work of the South Yorkshire outfit from the get-go.

Tom Cleverley tried his hand at goal in the 20^th minute. The Hornets midfielder curled his shot whiskers over the top right corner as the Golden Boys searched for a third.

Watford’s Chalobah went for goal in the 37^th minute. The Hornets midfielder followed up from a missed Deeney effort and rocketed the ball wide of Blackman’s post.

Rotherham’s Matt Olosunde replaced Jamie Lindsay at half time.

Paul Warne’s side started the second half sharpest. Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster pulled off a quick reflex save as Kyle Vassell threatened the home goal for the first time in the 47^th minute.

The away side tried their luck again in the 57^th minute. Rotherham broke, but only for Kabasele to charge down forward Michael Smith. Millers defender Angus Macdonald headed over as he connected to a Daniel Barlaser cross a minute later.

Watford’s first threatening chance after the interval came courtesy of a Tom Cleverley freekick in the 66^th minute. Hit straight into the wall, it was the midfielders last contribution.

Cleverley was substituted for Will Hughes in the 67^th minute. Deeney was replaced by Pedro as Rotherham’s Florian Jozefzoon replaced Jones.

Matt Crooks tried for a Rotherham opener in the 70^th minute. His right footed effort from the outside of the area curled over.

The visitors made a final three changes in the 78^th minute. Freddie Ladapo replaced Smith, Trevor Clarke replaced Barlaser and Mickel Miller replaced Vassell.

Stipe Perica came closest to scoring Watford’s third of the evening. The Croat combined with Ismaila Sarr but, could only steer it wide in the 84^th minute.

Watford’s Ken Sema was replaced by Garner in the 83^rd minute. 

The Hornets concluded a hard fought victory with a final substitution in the 90th minute.  Sarr was replaced by Domingos Quina. Femenia was replaced by Wilmot.