The ongoing roulette wheel that is Watford Football Club turned up another abject showing in the first half against Blackpool, as the Championship’s basement side lead the promotion chasers 2-0 at the break.

Last weekend’s 5-0 victory over Charlton Athletic looked as though it could be yet another turning point in the Hornets’ season but it may have been another false dawn based on the first-half performance.

Watford have shown they have the talent in their squad to be automatic promotion contenders but they have lacked consistency throughout their most recent campaign and the last eight days has proved that once again.

New signings Ben Watson and Vujadin Savic were both on the bench this afternoon as Slavisa Jokanovic named Matej Vydra in his starting XI behind strikers Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo in a 3-4-1-2 formation.

But whilst the visitors have not won away all season, Lee Clarke’s men took the lead after just eight minute at Vicarage Road. Juan Carlos Paredes misjudged a long diagonal ball and after the initial effort was saved, Andrea Orlandi smashed home the rebound.

Gabriele Angella had already headed over a Daniel Tozser free-kick by that point and Watford were creating openings but too often individual errors ended their attacks. Ikechi Anya in particular failed to capitalise on two chances to make simple crosses to the free Ighalo in quick succession.

Vydra flicked wide following good play by Deeney and Ighalo, and the latter also had a shot blocked, but the home team had to wait until midway through the opening period to test Elliot Parish. Even then Anya’s powerful effort was too close to the Pool goalkeeper and Deeney was unable to direct the follow-up on target.

Sloppy passing and poor deliveries into the box plagued the Golden Boys’ first half despite them dominating proceedings after the Pool goal.

Ighalo turned his man and had a powerful 20-yard drive tipped over half an hour into the contest but it was a rare moment of quality during a largely frustrating half for the Vicarage Road faithful.

Blackpool only had two shots on target in the opening 42 minutes, three if you include Ishmael Miller’s effort which was heading wide before Gomes saved, but The Seasiders scored with both.

Their second goal came after David Ferguson did well to create the space wide right and have a shot goalwards. It was blocked but Steven Davies bundled in at the second attempt.

Miller had another effort saved moments before the half-time whistle was met with boos from a large section of the fans inside Vicarage Road.

Watford line-up: Gomes; Hoban, Angella, Cathcart; Paredes, Layun, Tozser, Anya; Vydra; Ighalo, Deeney.

Substitutes: Bond, Doyley, Savic, Pudil, Munari, Watson, Mensah.

Blackpool line-up: Parish, McMahon, Nosworthy, Clarke, O'Dea, Ferguson, Perkins, O'Hara, Orlandi, Miller, Davies.

Substitutes: Lewis, Dunne, Maher, Oliver, Cameron, Delfouneso, Feruz.

Referee: Fred Graham.