Watford moved up to 10th place in the Championship after a 4-1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday.
Watford up to tenth place after fine showing at Vicarage Road
Watford moved up to 10th place in the Championship after a 4-1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday at Vicarage Road.
The hosts were on the back foot for the opening quarter of an hour before captain Adrian Mariappa turned in a cross from substitute John Eustace on 21 minutes.
Five minutes later Watford doubled their lead as great footwork from Henri Lansbury created enough space for him to drill past Lee Grant's near post.
Malky Mackay's young side showed signs of complacency at two goals up and almost allowed the Owls back into the game as Marcus Tudgay pulled one back on the stroke of half-time.
The Hornets re-emerged for the second period in buoyant fashion and their two-goal lead was restored on 54 minutes as Jon Harley rifled in a pile-driver after being teed up by Lansbury.
The Owls' misery was complete as a great passage of play between on-loan pair Tom Cleverley and Lansbury resulted in the latter finishing off a fine move from the home side.
Watford held on for the win with Manchester United youngster Cleverley and Arsenal prodigy Lansbury instrumental in much of their inventive play.
Mackay's side now lie just one point off the play-off positions while Wednesday remain in 16th place ahead of Saturday's remaining Championship fixtures.
Instrumental
Cleverley and Lansbury provided athleticism and intelligence off the lone striker Danny Graham and left Wednesday overrun in the middle of the park.
Wednesday could have gone ahead through Luke Varney in a lively opening before Watford captain Mariappa gave them a 21st-minute lead.
Cleverley's corner found its way through to Eustace, and when he struck a shot across the face of goal Mariappa was perfectly placed to steer in from six yards.
If there was an element of fortune about their opener, Mackay's side crafted a superb second five minutes later.
Lansbury picked up on a poor clearance and played the ball into Cleverley's feet on the edge of the area.
Cleverley played a reverse pass back into his stride and despite two defenders converging on him, Lansbury glided through the pair with a deft touch and buried a low shot under the body of goalkeeper Lee Grant.
Cleverley then saw a powerful header well held by Grant as Watford looked dominant, but the hosts managed to concede a poor goal in stoppage time.
Tommy Spurr hurled in a long throw from the left and when England Under 21 goalkeeper Scott Loach stayed on his line Tudgay rose to thump a header down into the bottom corner.
It was a lifeline for Laws, and the Wednesday boss introduced Tommy Miller at the break in a bid to win back control of midfield.
Second period
But Lansbury and Cleverley continued to find space in between the Owls lines and the two of them combined for Harley to make it 3-1 in the 54th minute.
Cleverley's corner was again not cleared and after Lansbury had beaten Miller to the loose ball he picked out Harley in space inside the penalty area.
The former Chelsea man took a touch and drove an unerring strike past Grant and into the top corner.
Harley then crossed for Lloyd Doyley to head narrowly wide before Lansbury grabbed his second in the 61st minute.
Again Cleverley was the architect, dancing around three desperate challenges as he surged into the penalty area before cutting the ball back for Lansbury to drill home from six yards.
That was game over and the sides played out the last half-hour with little fanfare as the Owls were left to reflect on a miserable evening.
