WATFORD secured their first home win of the season this afternoon, thanks to a fourth goal of the season from Danny Graham.

The new Barnsley boss Mark Robins got a baptism of fire at Vicarage Road as he watched his side crash to defeat in sunny Hertfordshire.

Malky Mackay was forced to change his defence around with the news that captain Jay DeMerit had to miss the clash after picking up a groin injury while on international duty with America.

Youngsters Dale Bennett and Lee Hodson featured in the Watford XI, making a great impression on their boss with a solid display.

John Eustace came into central midfield to add some experience to the side, while loanees Tom Cleverley and Henri Lansbury continued with their roles in the team.

Former Manchester United striker Robins included former Hornet Martin Devaney in midfield, while captain Stephen Foster was at the centre of Barnsley's defence.

On a day which would have felt more at home in early July rather than September, the groundsman's overtime at Vicarage Road had obviously paid off as the pitch looked beautiful as the sun shone down on the feet of the Golden Boys.

Watford were awarded the first free kick of the match within minutes of the whistle going but Cleverley's long-range shot was disappointingly off target for the Hornets.

With four minutes gone in the clash, Graham right-footed the ball into the area but the shot from the former Carlisle man didn't have the power needed to get past Barnsley's goalkeeper David Preece.

A minute later Graham had another shot, this time from the left but again, Preece got the ball safely in his gloves.

The Hornets were an attacking menace as they continued to make Preece work. On eight minutes, Lansbury tried his foot at shooting from just outside the box but his effort was blasted over the bar.

As the game approached the 15 minute mark, Watford looked comfortable in midfield and were a real threat going forwards.

The Hornets' first corner was taken by Don Cowie but his cross was cleared effectively by the visitors.

Up at the other end, Barnsley were awarded their first corner of the match as the clock ticked towards 16 minutes, but their effort was cleared by the Golden Boys.

Minutes later, Cowie's cross from the right into the box was slightly too long for Graham to reach. The pressure continued as a Watford corner was taken but the Golden Boys didn't quite get to the ball in time and it was cleared by Barnsley's Darren Moore.

Watford turned the pressure up a notch as the home side had three consecutive corners awarded.  Bennett, Cleverly and Cowie tried their luck from the set pieces but although the Hornets looked likely to score from their efforts, they were unlucky not to finish the job each time.

On 25 minutes, Ross Jenkins committed a reckless tackle on Barnsley's Emil Hallfredsson right on the cusp of the area, but Anderson De Silva's shot was fired straight at the Watford wall.

Graham was not giving up on getting his fourth goal for the Golden Boys today and his strike on the right on 32 minutes was stopped only by a brave clearance across the goal from the Barnsley defence.

On 39 minutes, Da Silva, who was quickly becoming Watford's nemesis at Vicarage Road, was punished with the first yellow card of the match after a tackle on Lansbury which sent the Arsenal youngster flying to the floor.

Minutes later another yellow card followed for the visiting team as Devaney was booked for time wasting but Cleverley's free kick came to nothing for the Hornets.

With a minute to go until half time, Lansbury was bundled down inches outside the penalty box. The set-piece was taken short and quick by Lansbury who passed it to Eustace, but his cross went wide.

Two minutes were added to normal time in the first half but neither team managed to break the deadlock and the Golden Boys returned to the dressing room with no goals to show for their first half efforts.

Barnsley started the second half with as much energy and gusto as Watford had started the first.  The visitors had a cross towards goal from Bobby Hassell followed by a header by Kayode Odejayi, but the ball sailed harmlessly into the Vicarage Road stand and Scott Loach, who had little to do in the first half, breathed a sigh of relief.

Lloyd Doyley made a vital block to keep the scores level as Campbell-Ryce fired a ball goal-ward on 49 minutes.

Watford broke the deadlock at Vicarage Road on 53 minutes following a free kick from Cowie after Lansbury was fouled just outside the area by Moore.

Cowie's free kick successfully found Eustace's head and the ball sailed in to find Graham, who had been threatening a goal all afternoon and he sent the ball home to the back of the net.

Minutes later, Graham had the chance for a second as he took on the 'keeper but his shot was saved by the Barnsley stopper.

With 55 minutes on the clock, it was Graham who yet again ran through the field looking for a goal but he couldn't quite get on the end of the ball.

Young defender Lee Hodson took a chance at scoring when he found himself in space on the right and powered the ball towards Preece's goal, but his strike could only find the side-netting.

With the game approaching the 68 minute, Hammill took a shot at Loach but the England U21 goalkeeper hardly flinched as the ball found itself safely in his gloves.

Cleverley replied by blasting a powerful strike straight at Preece's goal, but the ball went ever-so-slightly wide and the Manchester United youngster was denied a third goal for the Hornets.

Very quickly the ball was up at the other end as a corner from Hammill was directed into a busy penalty area, with several bodies battling for the ball, it was Loach who came out victorious with the ball in his hands.

The Yellow Army were lifting the roof at Vicarage Road as Lansbury cut through the heart of the Barnsley midfield but he found himself alone in the box and the chance passed by.

Barnsley had stepped up their attack on the Hornets after Graham's second half goal and Loach was seeing a bit more action in relation to his quiet first 45 minutes. The Watford stopper again proved his worth as he easily saved a strike from Hallfredsson.

With five minutes of the match left, Watford hearts were in their mouths as captain for the day Adrian Mariappa had to make a vital clearance off the line following a strike on target from Hammill.

What followed was what could only be described as a 'royal mess' as defenders and strikers alike tangled in the box, with Loach managing to clear the ball for a corner for the visitors.

Another scramble occurred after Iain Hume's corner but Eustace managed to clear the ball to safety.

On 88 minutes, midfielder Jenkins made sure he didn't miss out on the chance for glory and struck another ball into Preece's goal, but the stopper had it covered.

A minute from full time, substitute Nathan Ellington made sure he made an impression on the game as the striker fired a beautifully curved ball from the right hand side of the box to the left corner of the net, but the post of Preece's goal got in the way and the shot hit the woodwork.

The whistle blew on what had been an end-to-end clash at Vicarage Road with the hosts coming out victorious.

WATFORD: Loach; Hodson, Mariappa, Bennett, Doyley; Cleverley (Ellington 89), Eustace, Jenkins, Cowie; Lansbury (Harley 84); Graham. Subs not used: Lee (gk), Hoskins, Sordell, Oshodi, Bryan.

BARNSLEY: Preece; Hassall, Foster (c), Moore, Kozluk; Devaney, Da Silva, Thompson (Odejayi 28) (Hume 78), Hallfredsson; Campbell-Ryce (Hammill 52), Gray. Subs not used: Rusling, Macken, Colace, Haimour. 

BOOKINGS: WATFORD: Bennett (90). BARNSLEY: Da Silva (39), Devaney (41).

SENDINGS OFF: WATFORD; none. BARNSLEY;  none.

SCORERS: WATFORD; Graham (53). BARNSLEY; none.

REFEREE: Mr D Phillips.

ATT: 12, 613 (away 623)