After a disappointing week on the road, Watford returned to winning ways against Wrexham on Tuesday night, a 3-1 victory crowned by an outpouring of emotion in front of the Rookery as Edoardo Bove scored his first goal for the club.
First-half goals from Marc Bola and Edo Kayembe had set Ed Still’s side on their way in an excellent first half, Watford cutting through their visitors with ease.
Bola slammed home a deflected effort after a back-heeled assist from the the excellent Giorgi Chakvetadze, before Kayembe curled into the corner a few minutes before half-time.
The second half was much more nervous, Max Cleworth flicking a header past Egil Selvik five minutes into the second half and Wrexham piling on pressure from there.
Mattie Pollock was brilliant at the back, leading the defensive rearguard, before Bove turned home after Bola’s effort thundered off the bar in stoppage time to seal the deal.
After much justified criticism following Saturday’s defeat to Stoke, Watford deserve credit for a victory in which they excelled in both sides of the game.
It takes them back to within five points of the play-off positions and provides everybody with a boost ahead of Saturday’s home match against Leicester City.
Marc Bola opens the scoring (Image: Alan Cozzi/Watford FC)
Watford made a purposeful start to the game, Luca Kjerrumgaard glancing a Bola cross just wide after just four minutes, before Chakvetadze struck the bar with a curling effort on his 100th appearance for the club.
Wrexham seemed perfectly happy to surrender possession and the home dominance continued as the clock ticked past a quarter of an hour, though James Abankwah blasted horribly wide from a decent crossing position down the right.
Soon enough, though, they did have their reward.
There was a whiff of controversy as Wrexham wanted a penalty from a Chakvetadze challenge at one end, only for the Georgian to storm clear all the way down to the other.
He teed up Bola, who had made a barnstorming run and smashed in an effort that seemed to take a slight nick for a deserved lead.
Watford strike first through Marc Bola! 💥
That assist from Giorgi Chakvetadze 👏 pic.twitter.com/wkVf97Jw4Z
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) March 17, 2026
Watford were playing with swagger and Chakvetadze was central to another fine move that ended when Nestory Irankunda teed up Louza, the Moroccan dummying past one challenge but miskicking under pressure.
Moments later, Kjerrumgaard was handed an opening by a loose pass but shot too close to Okonkwo.
It wasn’t long until the Hornets made it two, though, and it was more fine counter-attacking play that produced it.
Irankunda was put away down the right and picked out Kayembe 20 yards out, an area from which he is so dangerous.
Wrexham gave the midfielder all the time he needed to steer an effort right inside the post and double his side’s lead.
Watford are FLYING as Edo Kayembe makes it 2-0! 💥 pic.twitter.com/AJaDeyUCQ5
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) March 17, 2026
In first-half stoppage time it was nearly three, Irankunda slashing over, but Still’s side settled for a two-goal lead at the break.
They were back on the front foot straight after the break, Saba Goglichidze heading high and wide when unsighted from Chakvetadze’s free-kick.
Five minutes into the half, though, Wrexham pulled themselves back into contention as Cleworth flicked a corner inside Selvik’s far post to half the deficit.
The dynamic of the game changed from there, Watford generally forced to sit back and soak up pressure.
Though Wrexham create little clear-cut, they continued to push Watford back as the second half wore on, Pollock making two vital six-yard box clearances and Goglichidze clearing over his own crossbar.
Luca Kjerrumgaard crosses (Image: Alan Cozzi/Watford FC)
With 20 minutes to play, Goglichidze was alive again as Windass escaped down the right channel, blocking the forward’s cross.
Still replaced Pierre Ekwah with Papy Mendy and Nestory Irankunda with Mamadou Doumbia to try and stem the flow, switching to 4-4-2.
The visitors continued to push, though, as Issa Kabore’s cross flicked the bar on its way out.
Pollock was called upon again with 12 minutes remaining, making a vital block, before Chakvetadze slightly misjudged a pass that could have set Kjerrumgaard in.
It was Pollock – surprise, surprise – who was on hand to continue to make vital clearances, as his defence suffered cramps and other niggles around him.
Game over! ❌
Edoardo Bove gets his first goal for Watford late on! 🟡 pic.twitter.com/fAmk7tFUPB
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) March 17, 2026
And just as we looked set for a nervous period of stoppage time, Bove latched onto a loose ball after Bola’s thunderous effort and easily swept in, celebrating by standing arms aloft on the advertising hoardings in front of the Rookery End.
It was a finish that breathed some positive energy into Vicarage Road and keeps them in contention for a top-six spot.
Watford: Selvik; Abankwah (Keben 90+2), Pollock, Goglichidze, Bola; Louza, Ekwah (P. Mendy 71); Irankunda (Doumbia 71), Kayembe (Bove 83), Chakvetadze (F. Mendy 83); Kjerrumgaard
Unused subs: Baxter, Eames, Ince, Nabizada