WATFORD's impressive start to the season gained further momentum at Vicarage Road this afternoon (Saturday) when they beat fellow promotion favourites Sheffield United 1-0.

The only goal of the game came 11 minutes into the second-half when the superb Darius Henderson set up the also excellent Lee Williamson to fire home from the edge of the area.

Henderson should have made the game safe soon after but although the Hornets were very good value for the win, they may not have achieved it without a fantastic goalline clearance from Tommy Smith after Mart Poom had been unable to hold a James Beattie free-kick.

After changing virtually his whole side for the midweek cup win over Gillingham, Aidy Boothroyd made just the one expected alteration from the side that defeated Wolves, with Henderson coming in for Tamas Priskin.

Bryan Robson, meanwhile, made six changes to the side that was held to a 2-2 draw at home by Colchester on the opening day. With Gary Naysmith and Lee Hendrie ruled out through injury and Chris Lucketti and Billy Sharp also left out, Mikele Leigertwood and Derek Geary dropped to the bench, and in came the fit-again Chris Morgan, Leigh Bromby, Chris Armstrong, Jonathan Stead and Hornets old boy Danny Webber in an attack-minded 4-3-3 formation.

Watford started positively and fashioned the first opening after two minutes when Marlon King and Henderson combined neatly down the left and the latter did well to dig out a cross which found Smith, but he was unable to pick out a team-mate with his attempted knock down.

However, the home side nearly shot themselves in the foot five minutes later when Bromby was afforded a free header from a Keith Gillespie corner from the right, but, fortunately, his effort from 12 yards out was within easy reach of Poom.

The Blades then enjoyed a decent spell, and Jordan Stewart was a relieved man when he was beaten in possession by Stead down the right but none of the United striker's team-mates were able to latch on to his square ball across the six-yard box.

Watford registered their first attempt from their first corner after 27 minutes when Stewart's clipped set-piece in from the right was back-headed by Smith towards goal but Paddy Kenny was able to comfortably save beneath his crossbar. The Hornets kept the pressure on with Jobi McAnuff trying a left-footed curler from the edge of the area that went high and wide of the target. Another chance came and went moments later when McAnuff's ball from the left picked out the unmarked Williamson in the area, but the midfielder was unable to grow tall enough to direct his header on target.

The game then ebbed and flowed until just before the interval when McAnuff worked a neat give-and-go with Stewart on the left before beating two men and cutting into the area, but his eventual effort lacked the potency to trouble Kenny.

The Hornets forced two corners inside the opening three minutes of the second-half but were not able to create an opening until the 51st minute when a King shot was deflected behind after Henderson had headed back Stewart's deep cross.

The home side continued to push though, and their efforts were deservedly rewarded after 56 minutes. A good ball from Smith found Henderson on the left and after weighing up his options the striker superbly cut the ball back to the edge of the area where Williamson met it with a first-time clipped half-volley that beat the diving Kenny at his near post to make it 1-0.

And Watford so nearly doubled their lead four minutes later when Stewart's deep corner from the right found Henderson, who powered in at the far post but directed his header narrowly wide of Kenny's right-hand post. Then King picked up the ball 30 yards from goal and after riding one challenge unleashed a trademark long-range effort that wasn't too far away.

But the home really should have underlined their second-half dominance with another goal in the 70th minute when Henderson held off an opponent and latched onto McAnuff's pass inside to open up a clear route to goal but he placed his shot too close to Kenny.

But if the home side needed a reminder that they weren't home and hosed yet, it came in the next two minutes. First, Poom had to tip over Michael Tonge's rising 25-yard drive and then, after the Hornets keeper had got a hand to a Beattie free-kick that went beneath the wall, Smith got back and produced an amazing goalline clearance to prevent the Blades from leveling.

After Derek Geary had replaced Stead, Watford were back on the front foot, with Williamson heading a McAnuff cross wide. Luton Shelton then came on for Webber, before Boothroyd played his hand, bringing on Steve Kabba for Smith.

There followed one of the highlights of the match with seven minutes remaining when Williamson teased and danced his way to the left byline, and when his cross came to nothing he latched onto the ball again before trying a right-footed curler which Kenny held.

United's last chance of salvaging something from the game came in injury-time when Matthew Kilgallon headed Gillespie's driven free-kick from the left wide.

Watford: Poom; Doyley, DeMerit, Shittu, Stewart; Smith (Kabba, 79), Williamson, Mahon, McAnuff; Henderson, King. Not used: Hoskins, Mariappa, Priskin and Lee.

Sheffield United: Kenny; Bromby, Morgan, Kilgallon, Armstrong; Gillespie, Montgomery, Tonge; Stead (Geary, 73), Beattie, Webber (Shelton, 78). Not used: Quinn, Leigertwood and Bennett.

Bookings: Kabba for a foul on Bromby after 90 mins.

Referee: Andre Marriner.