Watford recorded their first league win in five outings against hapless Sheffield Wednesday at Vicarage Road.

Watford made the most of an early gift when referee Rob Harris failed to spot a blatant push by Micah Hyde on Leigh Bromby and then turned to meet a David Noble cross unchallenged.

Hyde went through to score and Wednesday protested in vain.

That was after two minutes but Wednesday battled back when Watford twice failed to clear their lines and although Espen Baardsen blocked the first attempt by Tommy Johnson he was in no position to prevent him from slotting the rebound home.

Wednesday pressed for some time without creating a real opening but were then caught on the break after 29 minutes.

Noble sent the ball through to Tommy Smith who played the ball into the path of Gifton Noel-Williams who beat Kevin Pressman from 14 yards.

Wednesday should have equalised when a long ball into the heart of the Watford rearguard was nodded down by Tony Crane only for Trond Soltvedt to fire over the bar.

Wednesday pressed early in the second half with substitute Alan Quinn and Paul McLaren going close before Watford returned to the offensive with Noel-Williams clearing the bar with an overhead kick.

Watford increased the lead after 63 minutes when a Glass free-kick beat the keeper but hit the inside of the upright.

The ball rebounded across the face of the goal and substitute Heidar Helguson fired home.

Helguson cleared the target when set up by a run from Smith, but any hopes of Wednesday salvaging anything from the game ended when Danny Maddix was stretchered off 10 minutes from the end with a head injury.