The first of two trips to Sheffield this month ended in a 2-0 defeat for an off-colour and lacklustre Watford as the blue and white half of the Steel City gained a comfortable success this afternoon at Hillsborough.

Marcus Tudgay’s deflected effort put Sheffield Wednesday in the ascendancy before Tommy Spurr made sure of the points ten minutes after the break.

The disappointing Hornets struggled to get going throughout and the fact they mustered only two on-target attempts – the second of those coming in the last minute – spoke volumes.

Aidy Boothroyd made just the one change from the team that beat Ipswich Town last time out, with goalscoring hero of a fortnight ago John-Joe O’Toole replacing Jordan Parkes. This meant Jon Harley switched to left-back, with Tommy Smith and Jobi McAnuff pushing up to support Tamas Priskin.

Watford opened with a relatively fluid 4-2-3-1 attacking formation and had the first sniff of an opening after a minute when McAnuff broke down the left, but his over-hit cross cleared everyone.

The home side responded with Sean McAllister sending over a deep cross from the right which Etienne Esajas brought under control before firing goalwards. The ball was turned behind by Jay DeMerit, and from the resultant corner on the left Steve Watson headed tamely wide at the back post.

Watford’s first attempt came after nine minutes when John Eustace volleyed over from the edge of the box after the ball had been half-cleared following a long Leigh Bromby throw, but the opening period of the game was generally lacking a spark.

Wednesday had a decent opportunity in the 18th minute when Esajas was sent tumbling by Lloyd Doyley 20 yards to the left of centre from goal. But instead of having a first-time attempt from the set-piece, Watson rolled the ball sideways to Tony McMahon, who sliced his attempt well over the target.

But this was the cue for Brian Laws’ men to up the ante, although a Eustace back pass that had Mart Poom scrambling out nearly gave them a helping hand. But it took some good covering from Doyley to stop Jermaine Johnson having a clear run in on goal, before Wednesday took the lead in ridiculous fashion after 21 minutes.

The home side were appealing for handball when the Hornets failed to initially deal with a nothing ball into the penalty area, and they were still unable to get it away as it continued to bounce around until it fell for Tudgay, whose goal-bound attempt was deflected into the back of the net past the wrong-footed Poom to make it 1-0.

The Owls might have had a second five minutes later when the lively Johnson skipped away from Harley’s challenge, but DeMerit pushed the striker wide and his attempt went high and the wrong side of the target.

Doyley was fortunate to escape a booking for a challenge on James O’Connor, before Tudgay headed a McAllister cross from the right wide of Poom’s right-hand post.

Bromby then gave the home faithful plenty of reason to ironically applaude after 34 minutes when the former Owls player picked up the game’s first caution for a mis-timed lunge on Johnson.

The visitors won their first corner five minutes later and from this Bromby very nearly atoned for his indiscretion, glancing Lee Williamson’s set-piece from the right a yard wide of Lee Grant’s right-hand post.

Watson evened up the yellow card count after 41 minutes for a foul on John Eustace and from Williamson’s resultant set-piece Grant was able to pluck Eustace’s header out of the air without any great difficulty.

But a minute before the break came the major talking point of the first-half for the visiting fans. There was no doubt that Richard Wood pulled down Tamas Priskin on the edge of the penalty area as he sought to latch onto McAnuff’s reverse pass, but referee Graham Salisbury, who had been a model of inconsistency anyway, decided the challenge was not a so-called professional foul and only cautioned the Owls’ captain.

It was still a great position for the Hornets anyway, but Williamson was unable to capitalise, curling his free-kick the wrong side of Grant’s right-hand post as Watford went into the break a goal down and with plenty of work to do.

Watford continued to struggle to build up any momentum in the early stages of the second half, but after 51 minutes a corner from the left was taken quickly to Williamson, who cut into the area and opened up a good shooting position but fired high and wide of the target.

But the midfielder went closer moments later, latching onto Smith’s through pass and showing some neat footwork before firing in an effort that the unbalanced Grant parried back out into the area with his right arm.

Wednesday responded with a McAllister shot which Poom was right behind, before Esajas saw an angled effort cleared for a throw. And this was the prelude for Wednesday doubling their advantage in the 55th minute.

Spurr attacked down the left and worked a neat give-and-go with Esajas to get in round the back of the Hornets’ defence and beat Poom at his near post.

Boothroyd made his first change after 64 minutes, bringing on Will Hoskins for the largely ineffective O’Toole, but soon after Esajas had another opportunity when he toyed with Doyley before firing a left-footed shot over the top.

Poom was forced into action on 72 minutes, diving at the feet of Wood to block his close-range effort after a corner from the right was flicked to the far post.

But McAnuff wasn’t too far away moments later, cutting inside McMahon before driving a right-footed attempt into the side-netting of Grant’s right-hand post. Eustace then saw a powerfully-struck effort blocked.

Deon Burton came on for McAllister with 13 minutes remaining, and then Lionel Ainsworth was introduced for McAnuff.

But with six minutes remaining Bromby had an opportunity at the far post when he got round the back to meet a deep Williamson free-kick, but he was unable to direct his header on target.

Leon Clarke and Wade Small then replaced Esajas and Johnson, and within seconds of entering the fray Small was lashing a right-footed half-volley narrowly over the top of Poom’s bar.

Harley’s frustration got the better of him with two minutes to go when he was booked for scything down Spurr, before Priskin managed only the second on-target attempt of the afternoon but it barely troubled Grant.

Sheffield Wednesday: Grant; McMahon, Wood, Spurr, Gilbert; McAllister (Burton, 77), O’Connor, Watson, Esajas (Small, 85); Johnson (Clarke, 85), Tudgay. Not used: J Smith and O’Donnell.

Watford: Poom; Doyley, Bromby, DeMerit, Harley; Williamson, Eustace; T Smith, O’Toole (Hoskins, 64), McAnuff (Ainsworth, 82); Priskin. Not used: Loach, Bangura and Mariappa.

Bookings: Bromby for a foul on Johnson after 34 mins; Watson for a foul on Eustace after 41 mins; Wood for a foul on Priskin after 44 mins; Harley for a foul on Spurr after 88 mins.

Attendance: 17,066.

Referee: Graham Salisbury.