They say 2-0 is a dangerous scoreline in football - but 1-0 proved far more troublesome for Watford at Vicarage Road yesterday.

An early Troy Deeney penalty in their 1-1 draw with West Ham promised a performance the Hornets could not sustain against thier in-form visitors, and by the time of Andre Ayew's equaliser 17 minutes from time, the Hammers were firmly in the ascendency.

Watford enjoyed plenty of possession in the opening half hour and kept Slaven Bilic's men at arm's length for the mostpart, but Darren Randolph had a quiet day between the visiting sticks - and his side spent the last hour of the game in the ascendency.

That lack of a second goal was a lasting regret for defender Younes Kaboul after the match, with Watford missing the chance to jump above the Hammers to ninth in the Premier League table.

He said: "If we went 2-0 in the first half, the game would be over, I think. Even if they got a goal back, I don’t think they would have equalised. 

"But that’s football, when you push for a second you have to be careful not to concede a second and that’s what happened in the end.

"Gomes made some very good saves, at his age to perform as he did - I take my hat off to him.

"He’s a very professional guy and he’s a lovely guy, but West Ham saw that once we didn’t get the second they started pushing."

Kaboul had one of his finest games for the Hornets despite being outpaced - just - by Michail Antonio in the build-up to West Ham's equaliser.

The Frenchman made a decent effort of tracking the rapid England man to the edge of the area, and aftwards insisted despite being 31 years old, he could take on any of his Watford team-mates in a race.

"It's about desire," he said. "On the run, when he went to the goal, I went with him to the end but he’s a very quick player. 

"Antonio is very sharp. The moment they had the opportunity to play it down the channel for him, he was always on-side.

"They tried to play from the back and pass it to the midfielders, but I could see Fonte and Reid and Noble trying to play the ball in behind before half-time, but we adjusted very well to stop the pass."