Watford captain Troy Deeney has won the Championship player of the month award for March after netting five times in as many outings.

The 26-year-old forward beat off competition from Nottingham Forest’s Michail Antonio, Bournemouth’s Steve Cook and Middlesbrough striker Patrick Bamford to land the award.

Goals from Watford's number nine against Fulham, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Reading and Wigan Athletic helped keep the Hornets in the automatic promotion race. 

Deeney recently became the first Watford player to score 20 goals in three consecutive seasons after registering in Monday's win over Middlesbrough.

Sky Sports’ Football League pundit Don Goodman said: “Deeney has been in prolific form throughout the season, scoring 20 goals in total for the third season in a row – a feat never matched by a Watford player.

“Although there are no certainties in the Sky Bet Championship, if he and Odion Ighalo can keep up their fantastic scoring record for the home stretch, then Watford will have a real chance of automatic promotion.”

The Sky Bet League 1 player of the month award went to Aden Flint of Bristol City.

In Sky Bet League 2, Shrewsbury Town striker Bobby Grant was named player of the month.

The judging panel for the Sky Bet player of the month comprises Sky Sports Football League expert Don Goodman, Football League head of communications John Nagle, League Managers Association director Olaf Dixon and Sky Bet Football trading manager Paul Lowery.