TUESDAY night saw high-flying Swansea City collect three points at Vicarage Road - despite the best efforts of the Hornets they were unable to break the Swans down, especially during a first-half littered with chances for both sides.

City striker Shefki Kuqi handed the visitors the lead inside the first 20 minutes and the Welsh side then closed the game up after the break, following their half-time team talk. 

Malky Mackay named the same starting XI for the visit of Paulo Sousa's Swansea City.

Tom Cleverley was still out suspended - serving the last of his three match ban - so the Scotsman stuck to the same team that faced Derby County at the weekend.

Stephen McGinn and Will Hoskins were subs once more for the Hornets as the Swans looked to make amends for Saturday's defeat to Nottingham Forest.

Swansea were swamped by injury with a large number of players unavailable, including their skipper Gary Monk.

Alan Tate was therefore captain for the evening while The Swans placed Kuqi and Craig Beattie in attack.

The visitors kicked off the game with an unfamiliar 4-4-2 setup, the Welsh side usually a 4-5-1 formation but with injuries savaging the first team, Sousa was forced to change perspective.

Danny Graham, who was making his 200th club career appearance, got the Rookery Stand on their feet in the third minute of the match but his shot was cleared by Swansea defender Ashley Richards.

A few minutes later, Darren Pratley thumped a ball towards Scott Loach's goal, but the England U21 'keeper had his area well covered.

Striker Kuqi had the best chance to put the travelling team ahead on nine minutes as his low powerful shot screamed past Loach but his shot magically missed the goal mouth and crashed into the left hand post.

Heidar Helguson had a superb chance for the Hornets on 10 minutes when his trademark header looked like it was going to put the 'Orns ahead, but it just skimmed the crossbar and the game stayed level.

The beginning of the match was an end-to-end affair with both teams pushing forwards and searching for the opening goal.

On the 15 minute mark, Watford were unfortunate not to take advantage of a defensive mistake in The Swans area as Danny Graham sailed a perfectly placed ball into the box, Dorus De Vries came out to receive the ball, but the 'keeper mistimed the catch and the ball continued to float unmanned in the area. No Watford player could manage to get on the end of it though and the chance disappeared.

The Golden Boys were unlucky to find themselves one goal down to the Welsh team as the strike partnership of Craig Beattie and Kuqi showed its strength on 18 minutes.

Beattie swung the ball into Kuqi, who was completing his 250th league start in England, and he celebrated the landmark by heading it home for Swansea City. Loach could only watch in horror as the ball nestled itself in the back of his net.

As if in reply to the one goal deficit, Henri Lansbury attempted to work his magic up at the other end, his strong strike on the left hand edge of the 18-yard-box just whistling past the goalkeeper's ears.

Helguson won a corner for the Hornets on 23 minutes as his header towards goal was deflected wide. But the set piece came to nothing as Harley's shot was too long and straight for the Watford strikers to pick out.

The home team could have equalised in the 25th minute as Danny Graham picked up a beautiful ball in from Don Cowie and tipped it past the Swansea 'keeper, but the linesman's flag was up for offside.

The battling 'Orns were not giving up easily as they continued to push forwards, creating danger in the box, leaving their visitors in charge of defending their one goal lead.

Jon Harley's header on 38 minutes was very close to putting the home side level as it just sneaked past the right hand post.

The midfielder tried his hand at goal again as his curling ball through the 18-yard-box met with the towering figure of defender Martin Taylor. However the former Birmingham City player's header did not reach the intended destination.

Nothing seemed to be going right for the Hornets as Lloyd Doyley put the ball in for Jay DeMerit; the skipper's effort miraculously escaped the back of the net thanks to the quick reactions of Swansea's Angel Rangel on the backline.

Loach had to pull off a fine save for the Hornets as Kuqi attempted to get on the scoresheet for the second time on 42 minutes. The away team did not let up the pressure as Richards sent the ball goalwards seconds later.

The first half concluded with a frustrated Watord team returning to the dressing room as nothing they seemed to pull out the bag could result in an equalising goal.

The first five minutes of the second period were quiet in comparison with the hectic first half at Vicarage Road, the visitors choosing to sit back on their early lead and keep things tight which meant the Golden Boys were largely frustrated.

Watford continued to pile the pressure on De Vries' goal however as they refused to give up on getting the equaliser.

The second half continued as the first five minutes has started, with the Hornets forcing a couple for corners out of the Welsh side, but their efforts proved fruitless and The Swans gave Loach little to do of significance in his area.

There were strong appeals for a penalty from the Watford bench, crowd and players as Adrian Mariappa was bodychecked to the floor, following a skilful weave through the Swansea defence, but the referee waved play-on as the defender was brought down in the area.

Helguson's shot came close to equalising the game for the Hornets on 71 minutes but the Icelandic striker's 12 yard shot was denied by De Vries' gloves

With 76 minutes gone, terrace hero Doyley saved the day for Watford as he bravely cleared the ball from under the feet of substitute Guillem Bauza in the penalty area.

Malky rung the changes for the home side with 80 minutes on the clock, in a substition which saw Mariappa come off for the first time this season, the defender clocking up a record before the game along with Loach as the only two Watford players having played in all minutes of the season so far. The manager also introduced Scottish U21 international McGinn to the fold in the place of Harley.

The new formation had obviously suited the Welsh team as they sat back on their one goal lead, attempting to force the Hornets out of position as they pushed forwards for the equaliser.

Lansbury earned himself a yellow card in stoppage time of the encounter. The Arsenal midfielder was quickly substituted by the manager for Ross Jenkins who was already waiting on the sidelines.

Loach moved up the field in a last minute attempt to score as the Hornets' goalkeeper took the free-kick, with the rest of the squad in the penalty area, but the Golden Boy was unlucky to have his confident long kick come to nothing.

The whistle blew on what had been a quieter second half and on a game which saw Swansea came away with the points despite a hosts of chances created by the Hornets during the opening half.  

WATFORD: Loach, Mariappa (Hodson), DeMerit (c), Taylor, Doyley; Cowie, Eustace, Lansbury (Jenkins 90 +1), Harley (McGinn 80); Helguson, Graham. Subs not used: Lee (gk). Bennett, Hoskins, Henderson.

SWANSEA CITY: De Vries; Richards, Williams, Tate, Rangel; Gower, Britton (Butler 82), Pratley, Van Der Gun; Beattie (Bauza 68), Kuqi (Idrizaj 90+4). Subs not used: Cornell (gk), Trundle, Lucas, Burgin.

GOALS: WATFORD; none, SWANSEA; Kuqi (18).

BOOKINGS: WATFORD; Helguson (36), Lansbury (90), SWANSEA; Britton (5).

SENDING OFFS: WATFORD; none, SWANSEA; none.

ATTENDENCE: 12, 907 (away 725).