Troy Deeney marked his 200th Watford appearance with his first goal in six games as the rampant Hornets lead Charlton Athletic 3-0 at the break.

Fans can never be certain which Watford will show up; the side which ran riot at Fulham and held Chelsea for the best part of an hour or the team which put up little resistance as they slumped to defeat at Huddersfield last week.

Today the Golden Boys who play with energy and intent showed up in the first half at Vicarage Road.

Charlton had a couple of early chances as Gabriele Angella just blocked Igor Igor Vetokele’s early shot and Heurelho Gomes denied Johann Berg Gudmundsson from close range.

The home team did not look comfortable defensively at times but Charlton were considerably worse at the back.

A large part of that was due to the movement and energy of Watford though. They closed down from the front and forced continual errors by the visitors and then when in possession, launched wave after wave of attacks.

Slavisa Jokanovic’s men could have scored a couple before they took the lead a quarter of an hour into the contest.

Odion Ighalo headed wide and Deeney should have found the net when his strike partner laid the ball back to him eight yards from goal and his tame effort was saved by Neil Etheridge. Deeney had another effort blocked and Gianni Munari’s follow-up was cleared off the line.

The breakthrough came when Ighalo accidently diverted a dangerous cross from Miguel Layun into the path of Craig Cathcart and he thumped the ball in from close range.

Layun, who played as right wing-back on his debut last weekend, started in central midfield and performed well on his first outing in front of the Vicarage Road faithful. The Mexico international had a long-range strike fumbled and sent in a few teasing deliveries – as did Daniel Tozser, who started in a more advanced role before Munari was forced off injured and Ikechi Anya moved inside.

It was only a matter of time before the second goal was scored and it came via Deeney. Angella released his captain and whilst Andre Bikey recovered to make an initial tackle, the 26-year-old remained composed to slot the ball under the Addicks goalkeeper.

The onslaught continued and Etheridge made a superb reflex save to deny Ighalo follow a sweeping moved and Juan Carlos Paredes also sent a 20-yard shot narrowly wide.

Ighalo was one of three changes to the starting line-up and he justified his inclusion with a good display and scored a deserved goal from close range following Paredes’ fine wing play.

Follow the second-half action here.

Watford line-up: Gomes; Cathcart, Angella, Hoban; Paredes, Layun, Munari (Pudil 21), Tozser, Anya; Ighalo, Deeney.

Substitutes: Bond, Doyley, Vydra, Mensah, Smith, Byers.

Charlton Athletic line-up: Etheridge; Solly, Wiggins, Ben Haim, Bikey-Amougou; Wilson, Buyens, Cousins, Harriott; Gudmundsson, Vetokele.

Substitutes: Dmitrovic, Gomez, Onyewu, Fox, Church, Tucudean, Watt.

Referee: Darren Bond.