A penalty early in the second half from Tobi Adeyemo was enough to give Watford Under-21s victory over Fleetwood Town in their first Premier League Professional Development League South game of the season.

The 1-0 victory was the least the young Hornets deserved as they made the running throughout and created enough openings to have won by one or two more.

The game was played in sweltering heat at London Colney and certainly in the first half that led to bursts of play interspersed with spells where the action barely got above walking pace.

There were drinks breaks in both halves, and those watching the game were mainly lined up next to the hedge at the back of the touchline, which at least afford a little shade.

As expected, Charlie Daniels and Dan Gosling are adopting the same 3-4-2-1 shape as the first team, and the team looked comfortable within that formation.

James Clarridge, who didn’t look out of place in first-team pre-season games, was assured in the centre of the back three and was comfortable with the ball at his feet as well as in the air.

Left wing-back Jake Watkiss was a threat, both with his pace when running at the defence and at set-pieces with the ability to fizz a curling dead-ball at head height deep into the six-yard box.

Over on the other flank, Albert Eames showed why he got a taste of first-team action last season, particularly in the second half as his confidence to go both inside and outside his full-back grew.

Another player who acquitted himself well with the first team in the summer, Michael Adu-Poku, caught the eye as one of the two No.10s.

His direct style and willingness to take players on clearly unsettled the visiting defence, and at times he had a bit of the Chakvetadze about him as he kept running while defenders backed away.

He created the first chance of the game, breaking away down the right and then crossing for Amin Nabizada to send in a shot that was blocked.

A drilled low cross from Watkiss in the 27th minute should have led to the opening goal but the incoming Eames met it with a n effort that flashed across the face of goal and a shot-shy first half ended with Tobi Adeyemo stretching to toe-poke an Adu-Poku cross wide.

Three minutes after the break Adeyemo lobbed into the side-netting after a quick throw left Town keeper Luke Hewitt out of his ground after he had dashed from his area to clear a through-ball.

The visitors didn’t create anything of note until the 50th minute and, when they did, Jonathan Macaulay made a fine save low down to prevent Owen Devonport turning in Crispin McLean’s cross.

In the 54th minute Adu-Poku popped up on the left and as he accelerated into the box he was bundled over by Raff Cirino.

Referee Mr Smith pointed to the spot and Adeyemo calmly sent Hewitt the wrong way.

Eames saw a shot deflected wide of the target after jinking his way into the box and then Prince Sikiru turned and shot over the bar after a strong George Abbott tackle won the ball on the edge of the centre circle.

With ten minutes to go two substitutes combined as Zavier Massiah-Edwards ran onto a lobbed pass and squared to Ignacio Garcia-Romero Ferrer to send a shot just too high.

Two minutes later another sub, Freddie Buers, played a smart one-two with Aidan Coyne and then hit a low cross which Nabizada was prevented from side-footing home by a last-ditch tackle.

Watford: Macaulay; Abbott, Clarridge, Triallist (Triallist ht); Eames, Coyne, Sikiru (Torres 85), Watkiss (Buers 73); Adu-Poku (Garcia-Romero Ferrer 75), Nabizada; Adeyemo (Massiah-Edwards 73). Sub not used: Browne