Watford head coach Slavisa Jokanovic was happy with his team’s point away at Middlesbrough.

Boro dominated the first half and could have scored a few goals during an opening 45 minutes which ended 0-0.

Aitor Karanka’s team finally took the lead shortly after the break but the Golden Boys – led by substitute Troy Deeney – went on to control the second period and could have won the game.

However, Deeney’s equaliser was to be the only other goal in the contest as the Hornets went level on points with league-leaders Derby County.

“I was expecting more today [from my team] but I can be happy with the result. One point in this stadium is not easy for an away team,” Jokanovic said.

“We started the game without energy and we had many problems in the first 45 minutes.

“After half-time Boro scored the goal and after this goal we improved and started to play a good game. We scored the goal and had chances to win the game but a draw is probably a fair result.”

Watford started the game in a fluid system which involved Ikechi Anya pushing forward from a central area. Initially it looked like 4-2-3-1 but was 4-3-2-1 for most of the first half.

Jokanovic introduced Deeney seven minutes into the second period and the formation became a more traditional 4-3-3, with Matej Vydra and Odion Ighalo playing wide.

“We tried to play 4-3-3 all the time but we had many problems at the beginning of the game. We found the solution for us on the bench,” he said.

“In the last three games we have started with a similar structure but the tactics have been a little bit different.

“Today we tried to open the pitch and play in the wide gaps but we didn’t do this early in the beginning and we put many passes inside. Middlesbrough cut off this ball and caused us many problems.

“The structure has been very similar [in each match] and it depends on the opposition as to how many times we have made modifications.”

Middlesbrough sent their full backs forward to great effect in the first half and Juan Carlos Paredes and Daniel Pudil struggled to cope.

When asked if he was tempted to change the formation in the opening 45 minutes, Jokanovic replied: “In the second half I ordered my team to press them a little higher up [the pitch] because they didn’t have the pressure when they tried to switch the ball [to the wide areas]. We were running around them.

“In the second half we tried to fix this problem and in many of the minutes we played a good game.”

Deeney missed a month with a hamstring injury but has now come on as a substitute in the last three matches.

Today’s goal was his fourth of the season and Jokanovic said: “Troy is an important guy for us. In games like today, with many tackles and when it is physical, Troy is the guy who can help us so much and in recent years has scored all the goals.”

Jokanovic was forced to change his starting XI shortly before today’s match after Heurelho Gomes was injured in the warm-up, and was replaced by Jonathan Bond.

The Hornets’ head coach said: “I don’t think [Gomes’ injury] is dangerous and Bondy did a good job and helped us so much. I am happy with his performance.”

Jokanovic added he was unsure what Gomes’ injury was.

You can read a report from today's game here.