Mauro Zarate scored a stunner as Watford Under-23s ran out 4-2 winners over Burnley at London Colney, to bounce back from defeat to Birmingham City last time out.

The Argentine played 83 minutes in front of Marco Silva's backroom staff as fellow first-teamers Marvin Zeegelaar and Jerome Sinclair featured in Hayden Mullins' starting line-up.

Khius Metz briefly had Burnley celebrating after a long journey down from the North West, but the smiles were soon wiped from their faces when Zarate levelled with a superb curling strike.

Sinclair put the hosts in front after winning and scoring a penalty, and Michael Folivi made it three before half-time.

Harry Flowers then pulled a goal back for Burnley to set-up a nervy final 18 minutes, but substitute Dion Pereira continued his fine scoring run this season with a fourth to settle any nerves.

Burnley took the lead through Metz's scrambled goal on 12 minutes, but just after the half-hour mark Zarate grabbed his first goal in Watford colours - at any level - with a sweet strike to equalise.

Sinclair was fouled in the Burnley box shortly after, with the visiting goalkeeper guessing his direction right but left powerless with the sheer force of his shot.

The same player then had a big hand in the third - closing down the Burnley stopper, and leaving Folivi to jink beyond a couple of challenges and make it three.

That all came before half-time - the next goal would have to wait until almost the final quarter of an hour, but gave Burnley some hope when Flowers headed in from a free-kick.

But in added time, Pereira latched on to a pass from David Sesay to seal the three points, and spark scenes of jubilation in the hosts.

Watford: Gartside; Mukena, Rowan, Mason; Eleftheriou (C), Charles, Stewart, Zeegalaar (Sesay, 70); Zarate (Pereira, 83); Sinclair, Folivi (Bradbury, 83).

Not used: Lacy, Williams.