WATFORD came away from the Riverside with three points this evening (Saturday) as they claimed their third league away win of the campaign.

A lone strike from Manchester United's Tom Cleverley was enough to win the game and despite some strong periods of pressure from Middlesbrough, the home side couldn't muster the all important goal to draw the scores level.

The Hornets were rocked before kick off with the news that experienced midfielder John Eustace was to miss the Championship clash.

The former Stoke captain today falling foul of an illness and it forced boss Malky Mackay into making a change.

In total there were two for the Golden Boys with Henri Lansbury and Jon Harley coming into the side.

Eustace and striker Will Hoskins making way for the duo.

There was a surprise on the bench as number two 'keeper Richard Lee missed out with a minor knee injury, his place taken by 16-year-old Academy stopper Jonathan Bond.

Loan striker Heidar Helguson was also unavailable for the Golden Boys, the former Bolton hitman hasn't yet fully recovered from his calf injury picked up against Leicester City last month.

Coming into the game, Boro were itching to pick up their home form after suffering two consecutive home defeats at the Riverside, conceding six goals in the process.

Meanwhile the 'Orns wanted to register their first-ever win at Boro's home.

Kitted out in their changed all-black strip the Golden Boys lined up against former loanee Adam Johnson.

He started wide on the left for the home outfit and after Cleverley lost possession, his cross into the box was played in dangerously towards the far post, but no one was there for Boro to convert the chance.

Moments later the Golden Boys gave away a free kick in a dangerous position and former Colchester playmaker Mark Yeates' deflected effort looked for a split-second to trouble Scott Loach in the Watford net, but it evaded the goal and dribbled wide for a corner kick.

On six minutes the Hornets had their first effort on goal, after captain David Wheater misplaced a pass from the centre of defence, Watford slowly built possession and after the ball was squared to Lansbury, he cracked a low shot that fizzed wide of Brad Jones' right hand post.

Mackay's men looked more than comfortable in possession, the midfield four linking well with Cowie and Danny Graham, the latter who was facing his former side.

A few stray passes saw groans from the home crowd, but when their men did string some passes together they looked dangerous on the attack.

Johnson had now moved over to occupy the right flank and after he was found in acres of space with a cross field ball, he took the ball on and his stinging shot was blocked by brave Lloyd Doyley.

Moments later there was panic for the 'Orns as a high ball slipped off the head of Craig Cathcart, with Leroy Lita and Jeremie Aliadiere around there was plenty of dangerous pace, but Loach rushed off his line and gathered the ball safely in his arms.

Just over 10 minutes had gone when Lita should have really put Gareth Southagte's men in front.

Yeates was on the left now, after having swapped with Johnson, and his pinpoint cross found the head of Lita who had positioned himself between two defenders, but he nodded the wrong side of Loach's woodwork, much to the relief of those Hornets positioned in the corner of the stand behind his goal.

Cleverley took his defensive responsibilities seriously in the 18 minute as after a Watford corner had been cleared quickly by Boro, the United loanee was deep in his own half, covering to stop Lita gaining possession in a potentially dangerous situation after Johnson had used his pace to break quickly.

Against the run of play, Watford took their best opportunity of the game and silenced the Riverside crowd by taking the lead.

Cleverley stays cool...

Again, there was a run of slick passes from Mackay's midfielders. The ball was played into the feet of Graham and he fed the ball into the path of Cleverley, who coolly side-footed past Jones in the home net to grab his fifth goal in a Watford shirt.

The Boro players now looked nervy in front of the crowd and some further passes astray did little to lighten the mood - but when in full voice the Riverside roared their men on as the Golden Boys continued to stand firm and put up a good fight.

On 26 minutes, following a Johnson corner, the ball eventually fell to Gary O'Neil but his well placed effort didn't trouble Loach as it flashed wide of the post.

A different angle - Tom finishes a sweet move

Doyley was the first player to enter the referee's notebook on 38 minutes, after he clattered into a Boro player down by the touchline - Mr Mathieson producing a yellow card after a quick chat with the one-club Watford defender.

Two minutes before half time, Watford's hearts were in their mouths as after a strong run from full back Joe Bennett down the Boro left flank, Yeates whipped in a ball that somehow managed to evade everyone in the penalty area - defenders and attackers included.

Southgate's men forced a run of corners at the end of the first period - and from one of these Loach produced a diving save to deny Lita after an excellent cross, this was after the ball had been cleared by the Hornets.

Team goal, team celebration

The home crowd produced a mixture of negative and positive feedback for Southgate and his men at the end of the first half.

Boro came to life six minutes after the interval when after some frantic defending from the 'Orns, Yeates' stinging shot was eventually turned round the post for a corner, after Johnson couldn't get the ball out from under his feet in order to get a shot in.

Minutes later Johnson then put a high ball into the area that Lita struggled to get under control, despite being in a good position.

Captain Adrian Mariappa had to be at his best as the 'Orns continued to be put under pressure.

After Yeates had broken free down the left and Lee Hodson had gone to ground, the captain made up the numbers by coming across and deflecting the ball out for a corner.

Yeates stood over the ball and put a delightful ball into the box. Centre half Sean St Ledger was in space and nodded past the stranded Loach for what looked like the equalising goal.

The centre half was away celebrating when the whistle was suddenly blown by the ref and the goal was disallowed.

St Ledger was disgusted but there was nothing he could do about it as the game started again with a Loach goal kick.

There appeared little wrong at first glance with St Ledger's part in the goal, but the referee had seen an infringement within the crowded penalty area.

That decision going against Boro had livened the atmosphere inside the Riverside and the crowd continued to crank up the noise.

The home side surged forward and the Watford defence was under a huge amount of pressure.

The unlikely figure of Tony McMahon rattled Loach's bar with an audacious shot from the best part of 25 yards as Boro stepped up through the gears.

In the midst of the action, goalscorer Cleverley took a knock for the Hornets and came off.

He was replaced by Nathan Ellington, who joined Graham in attack, while Cowie slipped back into midfield.

His deflected shot in the 69 minute earnt the Hornets a corner and it was a rare break to the relentless pressure from Southgate's side.

Southgate made the most of his bench and added some fresh legs to his side, who looked as if they had started to run out of ideas.

The experienced Julio Arca came on and provided further width to Boro.

He tried his luck at goal and looked to have the beating of Loach with a stinging volley but one of his team mates seemed to get in the way and send the ball wide of the Watford net.

Lansbury was brought down with 10 minutes remaining and from the resulting free kick, Cowie couldn't quite keep his shot down as it sailed over Jones' bar.

Job done - Loach & Mariappa celebrate

Aliadiere tried an audacious late bicycle kick that forced a corner for Boro, but Mariappa and co stayed calm, while the Hornets tried to double their lead on the break whenever possible with plenty of running from the likes of Ellington and Graham.

Graham sent a shot just wide of Jones' post late on but the assistant referee had already raised his flag for offside.

Boro went straight down the other end and blasted an effort over that infuriated the home crowd as they became more and more frustrated with their own players and officials.

As stoppage time was announced, Graham won the Golden Boys a corner kick after another neat move that had started from midfield.

Boro carried on attacking but they couldn't find a way past England U21 stopper Loach.

The last scramble of the game saw 'keeper Jones come up for a corner kick in the final throw of the dice for Boro, but he couldn't beat his opposite number Loach.

MIDDLESBROUGH (4-4-2): Jones; McMahon, Wheater (c), St Ledger, Bennett (Hoyte 55); Yeates (Arca 73), Digard, O'Neil, Johnson; Lita, Aliadiere. Subs not used: Coyne (gk), Pogatetz, Emnes, Grounds, Williams,

WATFORD (4-4-1-1): Loach (gk); Hodson, Cathcart, Mariappa (c), Doyley; Cleverley (Ellington 64), Jenkins, Lansbury, Harley; Cowie; Graham. Subs not used: Bond (gk), Henderson, Bryan, Severin, Bennett, Hoskins.

GOALS: MIDDLESBROUGH; none. WATFORD; Cleverley (26).

BOOKINGS: MIDDLESBROUGH; Arca (ungentlemanly conduct 86). WATFORD; Doyley (professional foul 38).

SENDING OFFS: MIDDLESBROUGH; none. WATFORD; none.

ATTENDANCE: 18,957.