DARIUS HENDERSON's return to goalscoring form has delighted his manager.

Fresh from breaking his duck against West Ham earlier this month, Henderson scored his first goal at Vicarage Road since April on Wednesday night and he looked like the most likely player to grab the winner against Wigan.

The striker was Watford's best performer against Paul Jewell's men and his new-found confidence was demonstrated by the howitzer he sent over John Filan's bar in the closing stages.

"I'm delighted for him as he's had a lot of stick in the press but it's a mark of his character that he keeps going and going," said Aidy Boothroyd.

"He's taken a lot of stick and when you're a striker it affects your performance. He's missed some belting chances this season but, at the end of the day, he's kept going. That's all credit to him and the fans have stuck by him.

"He's absolutely flying at the minute and I'm sure he's going to get a lot more goals for us between now and the end of the season," the Watford manager added.

"He wants to score goals, that's what he is all about and he hasn't. He's done lots of other good things but that will mean nothing to him - he wants to score goals.

It's just been a matter of sticking with him. If you look at his stats wherever he has been in his career he has scored goals and had a good ratio until this year. Hopefully, he has turned the corner."

Meanwhile, Johan Cavalli may have failed to reach the heights he scaled against West Ham on his debut in his last two outings, but Boothroyd admits he is still "expecting big things" from the French schemer.

"People will say it was a gamble playing him and to continue to play him, but he's something different to what we have got," commented the Hornets boss on a player he signed following a trial game at London Colney last month.

"He gives the opposition something to think about. I expect big things of the little fella."

Cavalli does not quite fit the type of athletic player Boothroyd normally goes for, but his quality on the ball immediately caught the manager's eye and the diminutive midfielder is another player who will be looking to resurrect his faltering career at Vicarage Road after losing his way following his time at Real Mallorca.

"You look at him and he looks like the least likeliest footballer in the world - he looks like he should be waiting tables somewhere," joked Boothroyd. "He's got a pedigree, he's got a big smile on his face and you can see he can handle the Premiership.

"If you give him the ball, he'll keep it and that is something we have lacked. As he gets fitter he'll get better.

"He looks a little bit like Maradona but without the pace, he's got a terrific left foot, is very, very comfortable on the ball and what he helps us do is keep the ball. He gives the team a new dimension.

"He can split a defence and he's got goals in his locker as well. He was at a French First Division club that got relegated, he lost his way and then followed his dad around for bit.

"It took him 14 hours to get here, he put his boots on in a trial game and I thought he was outstanding."