Many fans up and down the country on Saturday may have had their first glimpse of fringe players or Academy youngsters as some managers used the FA Cup as an opportunity to rotate their squad.

However, 10 of Watford’s starting XI had made 10 or more Championship appearances this season, and while Rhys Healey was starting for the first time and Jorge Hurtado made his debut from the bench, this was a team selection that showed Watford meant business – even if a large part of what they then served up somewhat contradicted that.

Valerien Ismael had told the Watford Observer that he would be taking the cup tie seriously because he wanted to build on the recent good run and go deeper in the competition.

After the game, he said the fact it was the Graham Taylor matchday also came into his calculations.

“I wanted to give the signal to everyone that we take the opponents seriously and we take the cup seriously,” said the Watford boss.

“In the memory of Graham Taylor today it was important to play with a full-strength team.

“We wanted to stay in our rhythm and our next game is on Sunday, and that is a new feeling for us to have time to prepare for the game.”

Avoiding a midweek replay trip to Chesterfield means that the Hornets now have only three more matches this January, and no midweek games.

That, Ismael says, will be perfectly timed after playing eight games between December 2 and January 1.

“I am looking forward to that, because in the first half today our pressing was not that good, and it’s clear for many weeks we haven’t had the time to work properly on some principals.

“Now we have time to go back to our principals and our identity, and all the things we need to do.

“Only playing at weekends for the next few weeks will be very helpful as we will have the opportunity to a proper schedule of sessions and get back to some basics."