A goal either side of half-time gave Watford Under-21s their first win since late September as they beat Charlton 2-0 this afternoon at London Colney.

It was difficult for either side to string too much together in testing conditions, with the combination of constant rain and a cold, swirling wind making things unpredictable.

However, it was Charlie Daniels’ side that carved out more and better chances, while also securing their second consecutive clean sheet.

Charlie Davis had a very bright first half, and it was his early deep corner that just eluded Josh Mullins at the back post.

The midfielder then cut the ball back for Michael Adu-Poku whose shot was blocked, before he tried his luck himself with a low 20-yard effort that was saved by Addicks keeper Lewis Ward, who only joined the club from Swindon yesterday.

The only half chance the visitors created came when Karoy Anderson looped a header goalwards from a corner and Jonathan Macaulay held the ball comfortably.

Young winger Zavier Massiah-Edwards caught the eye again, and his alertness after 36 minutes saw him steal the ball, cut into the box and but have his shot deflected wide.

A minute later James Collins struck a low 20-yard free kick around the wall, Ward parried and Davis saw his follow-up effort forced wide.

In stoppage time, the Hornets went ahead in rather unusual fashion. Davis took a free-kick way out on the left flank and the ball swerved around the crowded six-yard box, clipped the bar and dropped onto the post before landing in the net.

Twelve minutes after the restart Watford made the game safe.

Massiah-Collins was the architect, dispossessing the full-back and darting into the box before calmly and maturely squaring for Collins to drive home clinically from 12 yards.

Macaulay then made a good low save to keep out Jason Adigun’s free kick before Watford came within a coat of paint of a third.

Messiah-Edwards set Collins racing away through the middle and he laid a pass into the path of Michael Adu-Poku, who struck a shot that beat Ward but cannoned back off the inside of the post.

Late on Macaulay made sure of his clean sheet when he made his best save of the game, diving to push the ball round the post after Tolu Ladapo cut in from the left and shot.

The victory lifts Watford from ninth to sixth in the Premier League Development League South table.

Watford: Macaulay; Eames, Trialist (Stallard 58), Ramirez-Espain (Gould 79), Coyne, Mullins, Adu-Poku, Davis (Gaspar 58), Collins (Torres 79), Gyamfi (Fraser-Grante 58), Massiah-Edwards.