A trio of fine stops by stand-in Watford goalkeeper Jonathan Bond ensured his team only trail title-rivals Derby County 1-0 at half-time.

Bond was playing due to Heurelho Gomes’ absence with tendonitis and the England Under-21 goalkeeper made three superb stops either side of Jordan Ibe’s excellent opening goal.

Hornets’ head coach Slavisa Jokanovic appeared to make a bold team selection as he left out top scorer Matej Vydra, fellow regulars Daniel Pudil and Gianni Munari and decided not to risk either Almen Abdi or Gabriele Angella, after claiming the duo were fully fit again this week.

The Golden Boys began the contest in a 4-4-2 formation, with Fernando Forestieri on the right of midfield and Odion Ighalo partnering Troy Deeney up top. Lloyd Doyley was again at left back in Pudil’s absence. From the outside, it appeared to be a formation designed to help nullify the opposition threat out wide, which has plagued Watford in recent weeks, and on the whole worked in that respect.

Derby are top of the Championship and the division’s joint top scorers would have taken the lead inside five minutes had it not been for Bond expertly tipping Jeff Hendrick’s low drive from the edge of the area on to the post.

Watford gained more of a foothold as the contest wore on but were unable to make the most of their early openings. Lloyd Dyer had a tame shot saved and Ighalo didn’t have the pace to out-run Ryan Shotton, who made a last-ditch tackle following good play from Forestieri.

The Hornets’ best chances of the opening half came when Deeney had a low drive parried away by Jack Butland before the on-loan Stoke City goalkeeper held on to Forestieri’s low drive from distance.

Forestieri was playing reasonably well in attack but he failed to capitalise on a glorious chance half an hour into the contest. Deeney did well to pick out the totally unmarked forward 12 yards from goal but he took far too long to settle and former Hornet Craig Forsyth recovered to challenge. The penalty appeal was tame.

A sublime touch from Martin almost created the game’s opening goal. The Scotland striker plucked the ball out of the air and turned Joel Ekstrand in one movement and powered forward before Bond was forced to tip his low shot wide.

But there was little Bond could do about the game’s first goal soon after, which came through a combination of poor decision making and skill. With Paredes out of position, Forestieri decided to needlessly dive into a tackle wide right and after skipping past the forward, Ibe found the far top corner with a curled strike.

Dyer wasted a chance moments later but it could have been worst for Jokanovic heading into the break had Bond not made a third outstanding save of the half; tipping over Martin’s close-range header from a free-kick.

Watford line-up: Bond; Paredes, Ekstrand, Bassong, Doyley; Forestieri, Andrews, Tozser, Dyer; Deeney, Ighalo.

Substitutes: Gilmartin, Munari, Angella, Cathcart, Murray, Vydra, Anya.

Derby County line-up: Butland; Christie, Keogh, Shotton, Forsyth; Hendrick, Mascarell, Hughes; Ibe, Martin, Russell.

Substitutes: Roos, Buxton, Eustace, Coutts, Bryson, Dawkins, Best.

Referee: Keith Stroud.