TNT Sports
Watford claim first win
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Published 04/11/2006 at 18:00 GMT
Watford recorded their first-ever Premiership victory as goals from Jonathan Woodgate - finding the wrong net - and Ashley Young saw them to a 2-0 win over sorry Middlesbrough at Vicarage Road.
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The win - Watford's first in the top-flight since 1990 - lifted Adrian Boothroyd's side out of the relegation zone.
The victory will be a massive boost to the newly-promoted Hornets, and especially their young manager, who this week asked his side to start turning draws in to victories.
But Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate can expect another tough few days following a result that means Boro have now lost to all three promoted clubs.
Watford were by far the better side as Boro - just as in their defeat against Manchester City - looked sluggish out of the blocks.
They took a moral-boosting early lead just five minutes in to the match when Hameur Bouazza got on the end of a half-cleared cross and his scuffed shot through a crowd and in to the bottom corner.
The young French midfielder took the celebrations, although replays suggested that Woodgate got a decisive touch inside the six-yard box.
Robert Huth was then forced to block Tommy Smith's effort when Darius Henderson had escaped the attentions of Emmanuel Pogatetz down the Watford right just before the half-hour.
Boro were much brighter after the interval, but just quarter of an hour in to the second half, Young grabbed a crucial second to effectively seal the points.
George Boateng's back-header towards Mark Schwarzer was weak, allowing Young to pounce on the error to sprint through on goal before firing past Schwarzer with a neat finish.
Despite the touchline gesticulations of their young manager, Boro were unable to up the sluggish tempo of their play as they searched for a way back in to the match.
In the end, it was a comfortable first win for Watford - and the relief was tangible after such a long wait.
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