Two goals from Vakoun Bayo helped Watford end their pre-season campaign with a 3-0 win over a Peterborough United XI at Vicarage Road.

The game was played behind closed doors, so much so that on their website, Peterborough’s match report on their friendly win over Birmingham City at home referred to “another fixture away from home behind closed doors with minutes in the bank for a host of other players at that unnamed club”.

Neither side have so far announced their line-ups for the game, but with Peterborough using most of their recognised first-team players in their home game with the Blues, the team that played at Vicarage Road was mainly made up of younger players.

Watford’s team appeared to be fairly strong, with newly-appointed captain Daniel Bachmann in goal, while Ken Sema, Francisco Sierralta, Yaser Asprilla and Matheus Martins were definitely involved.

Bayo opened the scoring after 14 minutes when he lobbed the visiting keeper after running onto a ball over the top.

Five minutes later it was 2-0 as Martins netted with a shot from the corner of the box.

Sema was the creator of Watford’s third midway through the second half as his cut-back found Bayo in space to slot home.

Bayo went close to completing his hat-trick while Ryan Andrews, Asprilla and Samuel Kalu all had chances to add to the Hornets’ tally.

Attentions now turn to the first game of the new Championship season next Saturday (August 5), when Watford host QPR at Vicarage Road.

Rangers had a dismal end to their pre-season as they were trounced 5-0 away at Oxford United.

It didn’t appear to be a weakened QPR side as it was the same starting line-up that drew 1-1 at AFC Wimbledon a week ago.

To make matters worse for the Hoops, defender Jimmy Dunne was stretchered off in the first half of the game at Oxford.

Rangers manager Gareth Ainsworth pulled no punches after the 5-0 defeat, saying: “It wasn’t good enough for me, it wasn’t good enough for the fans. We were outfought and outrun by Oxford. We totally lost our way.

“I’m pleased with where we are in some aspects but that wasn’t good enough. We’ve been convincingly beaten by a League One side and I apologise to the fans for that.”

When asked about the prospect of following a heavy defeat to a League One team with a visit to Vicarage Road next week, Ainsworth said: “Everyone knows we’re up against it. I’m glad we’ve had a kick up the backside on the final day of pre-season. We’ve got to make sure this is totally reversed next week.

“That’s not acceptable for a pre-season game; it definitely won’t be acceptable in the league.

“It wasn’t good enough going forward or in defence and I’m going to make sure the boys will be firing next week.”