Interest rates were still below 4% and King Charles III hadn’t even had his coronation.

Yes, it’s been a long, long nine months or more since Watford won an away game, and travelling fans have had to sit through some absolute dross in that period, often travelling hundreds of miles for the privilege.

So, at long last, when the final whistle sounded tonight they could do something that hadn’t done since January 2 at Carrow Road – celebrate a victory at someone else’s stadium.

And what a goal to win it too – Ken Sema’s absolute screamer was a thing of real beauty: power, precision and purely struck. He really leathered the 82nd-minute winner and the travelling Watford fans would have had a great view as it arrowed into the top corner.

This was a more gritty performance, with more character and more endeavour than pretty much every game since that win in Norwich.

It wasn’t always pretty, but the fact Watford can win ugly is no bad thing. And let’s be honest, after nine months, you’d take an ugly win.

The first half was tight and Vakoun Bayo should have given Watford a half-time lead. When he didn’t put away his header there was every reason to fear it might be regretted.

However, the Hornets were the better side after the break and although they didn’t create a whole host of chances they looked the more likely to win the game.

Indeed, there were moments of clear anger and frustration from the home fans – a rarity in itself when Watford are in town.

Coming on the back of Saturday’s hard-earned win over Sheffield Wednesday, this is another of the type of victories that will grow confidence and belief in a squad that badly needed it.

Clearly two wins isn’t an end to all the issues that have been obvious, but you have to start somewhere.

This is the first time Watford have won consecutive games for a year – back then they, actually managed three on the bounce.

Repeat the feat against Millwall on Saturday and it just might mean the corner could be turned.

There were three changes to the starting line-up from Saturday. Francisco Sierralta replaced the suspended Ryan Porteous in defence, while Edo Kayembe and Ismael Kone came in for Imran Louza and Tom Dele-Bashiru.

Swansea carved out the first decent chance after five minutes when a free kick was cleared back to Jamie Paterson and his cross found Harry Darling unmarked, but his glanced his header wide.

Four minutes later a quick break started by Livermore, saw Lewis get away down the left. The full back crossed and Ince met it with a shot at the back post which Rushworth held.

On the quarter-hour mark, Swansea were caught by the Watford press, and Kone nicked the ball 25 yards out. Bayo took possession, and moved it to Edo Kayembe, who shot just wide.

Dan Bachmann made a fine save in the 31st minute, taking off to his right and pushing a 20-yard drive from Matt Grimes round the post.

From the resultant corner Darling rose highest the back post but his header back into the six-yard box eluded two teammates.

Then, two minutes before the break, Watford passed up a great chance to go ahead.

Bayo won the ball in the Swansea half and moved it to Tom Ince, who fed the overlapping Jeremy Ngakia on the right.

He spotted Bayo’s run and sent a pinpoint cross to the back post but the striker powered his downwards header into the legs of keeper Carl Rushworth when really he should have scored.

The ball broke loose and Kayembe sent a tame follow-up into the keeper’s arms.

After an even first half, Watford had the better of the second period from the outset.

Sema’s corner was headed over Sierralta and then Ngakia crossed for sub Mileta Rajovic to have a shot blocked in the 64th minute.

The home side thought they had scored from a corner shortly after but referee Mr Kitchen rightly ruled it out for holding.

Then, in the 82nd minute, Watford took the game in magnificent style.

Livermore won the ball and fed Yaser Asprilla on the right. Watford worked the ball from one flank to the other at pace and when Sema got hold of it he had one touch before lashing a ferocious drive from the edge of the box into the top corner.

Think Guediora at Arsenal in the FA Cup or Holebas at Middlesbrough, it was that sort of piledriver.

As might be expected the closing stages were then nervy, but not as bad as you might have feared – and step forward captain Bachmann to keep the points safe.

He twice went full length in the dying minutes, first to push away a Darling header and then to palm a 25-yard effort from the same player round the post.

The final whistle brought great scenes of celebration as the players and coaching staff went towards the pocket of Watford fans behind the goal.

Four hours home on a Tuesday night don’t feel so bad when you’ve won.

Watford: Bachmann; Ngakia, Sierralta, Hoedt, Lewis (Pollock 90+2); Livermore, Kayembe, Kone (Chakvetadze 81); Ince (Asprilla 61), Bayo (Rajovic 61), Martins (Sema ht). Subs: Hamer, Louza, Healey, Morris