DeMerit goal gives Watford hope

Watford 2 Blackburn 1

Substitute Jay DeMerit's second half header gave Watford renewed hope of pulling off an unlikely escape from relegation as they tasted Premiership victory for only the second time tonight.

It proved to be quite an eventful few days for the Hornets, who added victory over Blackburn to the £9.65m (€15m) sale of Ashley Young to Aston Villa.

Brett Emerton's early own goal had given the home side hope that it might turn out to be their day and so it proved even though Benni McCarthy equalised in first half stoppage time.

There was more bad news for Blackburn boss Mark Hughes as Robbie Savage was stretchered off early in the second half and McCarthy was hurt too.

Rovers, who did not field new recruits David Dunn and Stephen Warnock, began brightly in search of their fourth away win on the trot, with Manchester City, Everton and Wigan all conquered this month.

A breakthrough nearly arrived in the very first minute when James McEveley stole away down the left and planted a cross that Shabani Nonda looked like converting until Jordan Stewart, skippering the home side in the absence of the injured Gavin Mahon, nipped in a the last second.

Then David Bentley fired just over after his initial effort had been blocked and Aaron Mokoena, back in the side following suspension, headed narrowly over from a corner.

It seemed odds on that a Rovers man would find the net sooner of later and Emerton did just that in the 12th minute although unfortunately for the Australian it was his own.

Adrian Mariappa began the move on the right flank with a burst of pace that deceived Morten Gamst Pedersen but it was Tommy Smith who delivered the cross to the back post that Emerton, restored to the side in place of broken leg victim Andre Ooijer, headed past goalkeeper Brad Friedel.

Watford had spent much of the season bemoaning their luck as penalty decisions went against them and opponents saw late breakthroughs take hefty deflections so perhaps it was time fortune smiled on Adrian Boothroyd's side.

The Hornets were certainly galvanised by the breakthrough and Hameur Bouazza tested the American with a low long-range shot before, at the other end, McCarthy and Bentley failed to hit the target with powerful efforts.

Watford were keen for a second and Mahon's midfield replacement Al Bangura twice tested Friedel with powerful efforts.

The Hornets suffered a blow on the half hour mark however when centre back Danny Shittu was hurt stretching to cut out a long ball and had to be replaced by DeMerit three minutes later.

Damien Francis wasted a good chance by slicing wildly wide after Darius Henderson's knockdown had given him a sight of goal but the momentum had already switched back Blackburn's way.

Veteran Malky Mackay saved Watford as half-time loomed by a timely interception after McCarthy, having got the better of Mariappa at the back post, attempted to set up Shabani Nonda in front of goal.

But when the Scot and a team-mate were unable to halt Bentley's run down the right two minutes into stoppage time McCarthy, having timed his run to perfection, was able to power a header over goalkeeper Ben Foster and in off the bottom of the bar.

The South African had only been occasionally involved before then but showed in that instant just how valuable a goalscorer is in the Premiership, a lesson Watford have already learned many times over this season.

It was his 14th of the season; Henderson has yet to hit the net in any of his 26 games so far.

The second half began with a couple of Watford pot-shots and an injury to stand-in skipper Savage, who was felled by the second of two hefty but seemingly legal challenges by Bangura and was replaced in the 57th minute by Paul Gallagher.

Nonda fired over with all the goal to aim at after getting the better of DeMerit and the American showed him how to finish in the 70th minute.

Stewart's free-kick was flicked on by new recruit Will Hoskins but had to be hooked back into play by Mackay from a position beyond the back post.

Bouazza was the man most alive to the possibilities and he immediately fired the ball back into the danger zone, where the substitute headed across his fellow countryman to net his second goal of the season.

Stewart was booked for a foul on Bentley before Hoskins fired a good chance at Friedel with Matt Derbyshire heading over seconds later at the other end.

Henderson wasted a late chance to clinch the points by heading wide but Watford hung on.