Watford vs Huddersfield Town: Roberto Pereyra, Gerard Deulofeu and Isaac Success goals secure triumph

Graham Taylor’s class of 1982/83, who famously went on to finish second in the old Division One, had 17 points after 10 games, but Javi Gracia’s men moved on to 19 for the campaign after they backed up last week’s impressive win at Wolverhampton Wanderers with three more points.

The Hornets had to survive a couple of early scares but were firmly in the driving seat with 20 minutes gone thanks to two highly impressive goals as Etienne Capoue and Abdoulaye Doucuoure yet again provided an impressively solid midfield base.

Roberto Pereyra made the breakthrough with a superb solo effort to net his fifth of the season and the advantage was doubled thanks to a fine finish from Gerard Deulofeu after more sparkling individual play.

The Hornets attacking play had a confident swagger about it thereafter and they could easily have been further in front by the interval had the final pass been better following several attractive moves.

That said, it was by no means one-way traffic and the home side needed Ben Foster to be at his best on more than one occasion to prevent the Terriers from getting at least one goal back.

The opportunities continued to come after the break but it was after a better spell for the hosts that the game was finally put to bed as Isaac Success rounded off an incisive set-piece move.

Although he had Jose Holebas and Christian Kabasele available again after suspension, Gracia kept faith with the same starting XI who performed impressively at Wolverhampton Wanderers and backed them to get the job done again.

Troy Deeney and Nathaniel Chalobah remained unavailable through injury, but Stefano Okaka made the bench for the first time this season in the Premier League.

Huddersfield’s problems going into the game were well documented, but David Wagner opted to make just the one change with Isaac Mbenza replacing Florent Hadergjonaj in defence.

Following a minute’s silence to mark Remembrance matchday, Watford had an opening inside the first minute when they countered and Deulofeu received the ball in plenty of space on the left, but with options in the middle his attempted pass inside was blocked.

The Terriers had been positive from the first whistle though, and their first effort was to come in the sixth minute when Chris Lowe cut back on the right side of the penalty area and saw his shot deflected behind.

The Hornets dealt well enough with the initial set piece but the visitors were able to regain possession and work the ball to Aaron Mooy in a central position on the edge of the 18-yard box and his well struck low drive needed a good save from Foster low to his left to deal with it.

Soon after Huddersfield had good opportunity when the ball was played to Alex Pritchard, also on the right side of the area, and the former Tottenham Hotspur man went for clipped right-footed effort that wasn’t too far over the bar.

Gracia’s men got away with those early warnings but in the 11th minute they were to make the breakthrough thanks to the latest moment of brilliance from their Argentine top scorer.

Pereyra had options when he received the ball to the left of centre but after dribbling past one attempted challenge he accelerated with the ball glued to his boots, dancing his way through the Terriers defence before planting the ball past Jonas Lossl to net a wonderful solo effort.

The Hornets had their tails up and another opportunity almost arose when Will Hughes attacked off the right and played the ball into the feet of Success, who instantly laid it off to Pereyra and his back-heeled flick would have put Hughes clean through on goal had it not been for a defender’s boot getting in the way.

But the home side didn’t have long to wait for a second goal – and again it was special.

Deulofeu received the ball on the right, attacked and beat Lowe to open up the possibility of a ball across the six-yard box, but instead opted to take on and dance past Jonathan Hogg before firing a shot beyond Lossl and into the far corner to make it 2-0 with less than 20 minutes gone.

Having been powerless to stop Deulofeu though, Lowe decided to take matters into his own hands when the chance arose, advancing before hitting a superb left-footed drive from 25 yards that required an even better save from Foster to divert the ball onto the bar and keep his side two goals to the good.

Watford were threatening to score every time they came forward though, and Deulofeu wasn’t far away from doubling his tally when another incisive move ended with the Spaniard hitting a low shot narrowly wide of Lossl’s near post.

Foster was again called into action to deal with a shot from Mooy, but the Hornets continued to probe with intent at the other end as more attractive moves were only a final pass away from a potential third goal.

Philip Billing was the first player to be booked for a foul on Success in the 34th minute but three minutes later he struck a left-footed drive from 25 yards that was swerving into the top corner before it was pushed over by Foster.

Back came Watford with Success almost forcing his way through the defence, only for the outstretched boot of Mathias Jorgensen to turn the ball towards his own goal, requiring Lossl to desperately stick out a boot to prevent it going into his own net.

Having taken a two-goal lead into the break, Watford started the second half positively with Success the first player to have a shot, although he didn’t get hold of it and Lossl was able to save comfortably.

But a third goal should have been forthcoming in the 50th minute when a Success pass split the Terriers rear guard and Deulofeu sprinted through. However, Lossl raced from his area and with two defenders getting back to cover the goal, the Hornets attacker was forced to improvise with a curled effort which he put wide.

Deulofeu had another opportunity soon after, this time curling high and wide after being set up by Success, who won the ball back to the left of the Huddersfield box.

It needed an impressive block from Lossl to prevent Hughes from netting a third in the 59th minute after a prolonged and patient build-up had ended with Pereyra putting his teammate through in the area following another incisive move.

Huddersfield continued to plug away and moments later Mooy pulled the ball back for Mbenza to hit a first-time effort from the edge of the box, but again Foster was equal to it.

Wagner made a double change in the 63rd minute, bringing on Ramadan Sobhi and Steve Mounie for Mbenza and Laurent Depoitre. Gracia followed suit moments later as Ken Sema replaced Deulofeu.

However, the Hornets lost their way somewhat following that change and their opponents were to have one of their better spells of the match, without really threatening Foster’s goal.

Wagner completed his changes in the 78th minute as Juninho Bacuna replaced Billing but two minutes later the Hornets made the points safe.

Having been awarded a free-kick midway inside the opposition half, Adam Masina played the ball square to Capoue, who lifted it towards the far post where Kiko Femenia had stolen in around the back and squared to present Success with a straightforward finish to cap a fine afternoon’s work with his first league goal of the campaign to make it 3-0.

That was to be the scorer’s last involvement as he made way for Andre Gray and moments later Kabasele replaced Craig Cathcart.

Pereyra wasn’t far away from a fourth in injury time as he saw an angled drive helped over by Lossl, and then Doucoure went on a rampaging run forward but instead of sliding in Gray he chose to go it alone and fired wide of the near post.

It mattered little though, as a potential banana skin was overcome in ultimately comfortable fashion, and with some attacking verve.

Watford: Foster; Femenia, Mariappa, Cathcart (Kabasele 84), Masina; Doucoure, Capoue; Hughes, Deulofeu (Sema 64), Pereyra; Success (Gray 83). Subs not used: Gomes, Wilmot, Holebas, Okaka.

Huddersfield Town: Lossl; Jorgensen, Schindler, Lowe, Mbenza (Sobhi 63); Mooy, Hogg; Billing (Bacuna 78), Durm, Pritchard; Depoitre (Mounie 63). Subs not used: Hamer, Quaner, Stankovic, Hadergjonaj.

Bookings: Billing for a foul on Success (34); Masina for a foul on Lowe (68).

Attendance: 20,457.

Referee: Mike Dean.