Despite being forced to play more than 70 minutes with 10 men due to a harsh red card, Watford Under-21s made it three consecutive victories with a 2-1 win over Colchester at London Colney this afternoon.

The Hornets could easily have wilted when Michael Adu-Poku was shown a straight red in the 17th minute after referee Mr Robinson decided his last-man challenge was a foul.

However, instead Charlie Daniels’ side spent the remainder of the first half on the front foot and went into the break 2-0 up, and deservedly so.

Keeping two men up front meant Colchester could never send too many players forwards despite their numerical advantage, and it was only towards the end of the game that they pulled a goal back and began to push an understandably tiring Hornets team back.

Head coach Valerien Ismael - who was watching from the touchline - opted to give both Mattie Pollock and Rhys Healey 45 minutes, getting some game into the legs of the pair who have barely featured for the first team this season.

Pollock, who turns 22 on Thursday, was only a couple of years older than the opposition and yet he clearly looked like a man in junior football.

Calm in possession in his own half, Pollock’s main contribution came in both boxes. His size and leap meant he dealt with set pieces at one end, and was a constant threat to Colchester at the other. His 45 minutes saw him contribute a goal, an assist and force a great save: on this brief showing, he’s got to be close to getting a chance in the first team.

Losing a man so early meant the supply to Healey was a bit hit and miss, and he was often chasing clearances or having to go wide to get possession.

What he did show was a real hunger and desire, readily chasing across the pitch and pressing defenders.

He also looked capable of leading the line even up against two physically larger defenders. He was unlucky not to get a shot on goal or earn a penalty late in the first half following some clever and persistent play.

The former Toulouse striker has not played a minute of league football since joining, but today suggested he was worth a run alongside a player like Mileta Rajovic when Watford switch to 3-5-2 as they have done a few times.

Goalkeeper Myles Roberts caught the eye for the way he commanded his area at crosses and set pieces while there was another impressive display from striker James Collins.

Playing wider than usual he slipped his defender twice in the second half with a flick and a turn, and his combination of pace and increased physicality once again shone through.

Jack Grieves limped off before the end – it looked nothing more than cramp – but in 80 minutes he again showed a characteristic Watford fans love: commitment.

His versatility means he looks as much at home in midfield as he does when played further forward, and his strength was a telling factor as he was able to break through tackles when running with the ball.

He had a taste of first-team action last season and if he has put the injury problems that delayed his start to the season behind him, he could well do so again this season.

It was Grieves who had the first attempt of the game when he saw met a Collins’ drag-back with a low shot that Sam Hornby held.

The U’s keeper then had to scramble to gather a shot from Alistair Gould that took a big deflection and was spinning towards the far corner.

Hornby was called upon again in the 16th minute, blocking at his near post after Healey had smartly dummied a corner drilled in by Aidan Coyne.

Colchester broke from that stop, and a ball over the top saw Adu-Poku the last man – he made a tackle that the referee thought was a foul and showed a red card that was very much on the harsh side.

The fact Mr Robinson showed several yellow cards through the game, including one to Grieves for not limping off fast enough when being replaced near the end, showed what sort of afternoon the official had.

Seemingly galvanised by the apparent injustice, Watford went ahead in the 19th minute. Coyne sent over a free kick from the left, Pollock rose really well and nodded the ball down for Charlie Stallard to steer a shot into the corner.

Roberts wasn’t seriously called into action until the 25th minute when he dropped on a low drive from Kaan Bennett.

Five minutes before the break the keeper’s quick-thinking and excellent kick enabled Healey to anticipate the bounce better than the Colchester defence and get a stride behind them midway inside their half.

The striker then checked back inside Ronny Nelson on his way into the box, and the Us’ defender appeared to grab a handful of Healey’s shirt as he tried to get a shot away. It was enough to slow him down sufficiently for Harry Beadle to slide in and make a covering tackle.

Pollock was again the target at a 44th-minute corner as he simply used his upper-body strength to break through two attempts to stop him before meeting the ball with a powerful header that Hornby did well to hold.

However, the big defender made it 2-0 in stoppage time with a finish more expected from a striker. Coyne’s free kick was half cleared and Pollock pounced on the loose ball about 14 yards out, sending an accurate and extremely nonchalant effort past Hornby and into the far corner.

Watford had to play more on the break in the second half but they did it well with Collins giving full-back Matthew Yates a torrid time.

In the 51st minute he dummied a pass and turned sharply to leave Yates behind him before cutting into the box and trying to square the ball. The pass was blocked but Collins reacted on the stretch and prodded the ball across the face of goal before it hit the post and bounced to safety.

It was almost a carbon copy three minutes later, except this time Collins used a little flick and spin to get behind Yates on the flank. His pass inside teed up substitute Jonathan Lawson but Hornby just did enough to push the striker’s shot round the post.

Slowly Colchester began to push Watford back and after T’Aizo Marcel-Dilaver had fired a shot across the face of goal, the visitors came very close to pulling one back when Beadle met a corner with a header that was beyond Roberts but headed off the line by Gould.

However, playing with a man less for so long finally caught up with the Hornets in the 73rd minute as Oscar Thorn centred from the right and Marcel-Dilaver swept a shot beyond Roberts.

That goal only seemed to restore the Watford resilience though and the closest the visitors came to drawing level was when Thorn was unmarked in the box but sent a tame shot straight at Roberts.

Indeed, deep into stoppage time Colchester won a corner and sent keeper Hornby forward. Watford cleared and broke out of their own half in a three on one towards an empty net, but contrived to mess the opportunity up.

The victory lifts Watford to third in the Premier League Development League South table.

Watford; Roberts; Gould, Stallard (King 61), Coyne, Pollock (Ramirez-Espain 45), Abbott, Adu-Poku, Gyamfi, Healey (Lawson 45), Grieves (Hamiga 81), Collins. Sub not used: Macaulay