An own-goal in the sixth minute from Jonathan Woodgate - he deflected Hameur Bouazza's shot into his own net - and a confident finish after 59 minutes from Ashley Young were enough to help Adrian Boothroyd's men to three points at the 11th attempt.

The Hornets will take plenty of confidence from this victory - but their opponents showed very little drive or panache, and these are worrying times for their inexperienced manager Gareth Southgate.

Boro's best chance - they created very few - came just after Young had doubled Watford's lead, but substitute James Morrison somehow managed to steer the ball wide of an open goal.

Relief and optimism flooded through Vicarage Road the final whistle, but Watford now face two rapid tests of their mettle, first at home to Newcastle in the Carling Cup fourth round, and then against Premiership champions Chelsea at Stamford Bridge next weekend.

Watford made just one change to the team who drew 0-0 with Tottenham last weekend, with Richard Lee replacing the injured Ben Foster in goal.

Boro, meanwhile, brought in Andrew Davies, Julio Arca and Massimo Maccarone for Fabio Rochemback, Lee Cattermole and the injured Stuart Parnaby.

Middlesbrough - without an away win in the league this season - made a confident start, but Watford soon found their stride, and took the lead in the sixth minute.

Woodgate could only head Gavin Mahon's long throw into the path of Hameur Bouazza, and Woodgate watched in dismay as the Frenchman's shot from 20 yards - which was going wide - deflected off him and sneaked inside Mark Schwarzer's right post.

Watford came close again in the 21st minute when Darius Henderson barged past Emanuel Pogatetz on the right before setting up Tommy Smith, whose eight-yard shot was blocked by Robert Huth and went behind for a corner.

Three minutes later, Jordan Stewart volleyed just over the crossbar from 20 yards after Pogatetz had headed Young's corner into his path.

In the 30th minute, Young swung over a corner from the left and Darius Henderson's near-post header was hacked off the line by Stewart Downing, but the goal would not have counted as Henderson was ruled to have committed a foul as he rose to meet the cross.

Four minutes later, Smith and Damien Francis combined to set up Young, but the England Under-21 international's low cross was well claimed by Schwarzer.

The home side were forcing virtually all of the attacking openings. After eluding George Boateng on the left, Bouazza burst into Boro territory before shooting high and wide from a promising position 25 yards out.

As the half drew to a close, Watford began to show familiar jitters in defence, with both Dan Shittu and Stewart showing uncertainty.

Luckily for Adrian Boothroyd's men, Jay DeMerit was on hand to make a fine block to deny Aiyegbeni Yakubu after the Nigerian striker had found shooting space inside the penalty area.

Nine minutes into the second half, Young missed a wonderful chance to double Watford's lead.

Smith crossed from the right for the unmarked Bouazza to thump a volley which hit Davies and fell to Young - and the Hornets winger, under no pressure, somehow managed to lift the ball over the crossbar from six yards.

Young, however, had to wait only six more minutes before putting his name on the scoresheet.

Boateng inexplicably decided to head a loose ball back towards his own goal, steering it only into the path of Young, who finished confidently into the bottom-left corner from 18 yards for his fourth goal of the season.

Three minutes later, Boro squandered a glorious chance to force their way back into the match.

Yakubu's low cross from the left was missed by Stewart and reached Morrison at the far post, but the substitute could only steer the ball tamely wide of an unguarded goal.

Watford came close to making a third in the 71st minute. Young's excellent lay-off sent Bouazza racing clear down the left, and the winger's return cross was diverted over his own bar by Huth as Young waited at the far post.

Six minutes from time, another short back-pass, this time from Woodgate, let in Henderson, but the striker could only drill the ball against Schwarzer.