Watford Under-18s completed back-to-back home victories in Youth Alliance Merit League One by beating Swindon Town 3-0 on Saturday.

After a goalless first half, Dennon Lewis put David Horseman’s side ahead with his 12th goal of the campaign before a Dion Pereira brace sealed the Hornets’ second win in four outings.

The hosts started positively and Max Ryan was the first to have a chance, working a neat one-two with Lewis before seeing his shot parried by the goalkeeper.

After Hornets shot stopper Arie Ammann had reacted well to keep out a fierce long-range effort on 20 minutes, Watford went close five minutes later when Kunle Otudeko narrowly missed connecting with an Andrew Eleftheriou cross before Mahlondo Martin sliced wide of the target.

Heavy rain and strong winds made playing conditions increasingly difficult and Watford had to survive a scare moments after the restart when a shot went through Eleftheriou’s legs and swerved away from Ammann, hitting the post before it was cleared.

But the breakthough came after 57 minutes when Otudeko played a fine through ball to Lewis and he took one touch before firing into the roof of the net.

Having gained the upper hand, the home side quickly doubled their advantage when Pereira collected a free-kick on the edge of the 18-yard box and turned his man before shooting home.

Swindon did try to find a way back into the contest before Otudeko almost made it 3-0 when his free-kick from the right edge of the penalty area was tipped over.

But a third goal did arrive five minutes from time when Martin’s cross from the right was headed back into the danger zone by Connor Stevens for Pereira to fire in from close range.

Watford Under-18s: Ammann; Eleftheriou, Stevens, Rowan (Sesay 26), Martin; Ryan, Makaka, Charles; Pereira, Lewis (Zaineddine 79), Otudeko (Fadhunsi 85).