Jack Grieves gave the watching Tom Cleverley a timely nudge with the only goal and a power-packed performance as Watford Under-21s beat Coventry 1-0 at London Colney this afternoon.

The attacking midfielder’s excellent 25th-minute header capped a display that further confirms what Cleverley said about Grieves a couple of weeks ago – the 19-year-ols is unlucky not to have had some first-team minutes this season.

Grieves has been an unused substitute nine times this campaign, but still hasn’t added to the two brief substitute appearances he made in the Championship last season, after making his debut in the FA Cup in January 2023.

It was a deserved and much-needed victory for Charlie Daniels’ side, who had lost their last three games and conceded 11 goals without reply.

The game also marked the return to action of defender George Abbott, who has been out since the turn of the year after breaking his ankle while on loan at Potters Bar Town.

The Welsh youth international appeared to come through his planned 45-minute run-out without any issues.

For the first 35 minutes the Hornets dominated, and their play was dynamic, fast and purposeful.

They popped the ball around, linked up well and snapped into tackles to an extent that Coventry found it difficult to get across the halfway line.

Visiting keeper Luke Bell stood between Watford and a more comfortable victory, making the first of his saves after only six minutes when he dived to tip away a low 20-yard drive from Jake Watkiss.

The full-back then combined with Zavier Massiah-Edwards to tee up the triallist who was playing up front, but his shot on the turn was deflected wide.

Thirteen minutes in Grieves nicked the ball just inside the Coventry, drove powerfully forward and then sent a low shot from just inside the box wide of the far post.

Four minutes later Watkiss broke out of the defence and burst forward through the centre. Grieves went with him and, when he got the ball on the left, his excellent low cross picked out the triallist who sent a shot straight at Bell.

The Coventry keeper excelled in the 24th minute, arcing backwards to tip over a powerfully-struck first-time effort from Grieves after he met Massiah-Edwards’ cross about 12 yards out.

However, Leo Ramirez-Espain swung in the resultant corner from the right and Grieves timed his run and leap perfectly, meeting the ball at the front post to thump a header into the net.

Strangely, the goal seemed to inject more life into the Sky Blues than Watford, and they came into the game far more than they had earlier.

However, keeper Alfie Marriott dealt comfortably with curling shots from Bradley Stretton and a triallist, before Stretton sent a stoppage-time shot wide.

The second half was more flat, and neither side was helped by the swirling wind picking up.

The Hornets were nearly caught napping by a short corner eight minutes after the restart but Marriott did well to block a shot from Stretton.

Although Coventry had greater possession they didn’t do a great deal with it, and the longer the game went on the more it looked like Watford might add a second.

Bell made another top-notch save in the 70th minute when he stretched to tip over a goalbound 16-yard effort from Zak Fraser-Grante, and the keeper then got down to turn a shot from the triallist wide of the target.

Bell made a couple more saves in the last five minutes and the best Coventry could muster in a mammoth 10 minutes of stoppage time was a low shot that flashed across the face of goal.

Watford are sixth in the Premier League Development League South Table, three points ahead of Cardiff who have played a game more and six clear of Charlton, who have two games in hand.

Watford: Marriott; Eames, Watkiss (Buers 25), Coyne, Clarridge, Abbott (Mullins ht), Fraser-Grante (Torres 85), Ramirez-Espain (Davis 71), Trialist, Grieves, Massiah-Edwards. Sub not used: Gould