WATFORD finished their pre-season with a flourish and condemned League Two Lincoln to their first defeat of the summer with a sizzling first-half display in the sun at Sincil Bank this afternoon.
A side mixed with youthful exuberance and older heads eased themselves past the Imps with a strong first 45 minutes, and despite an improved showing from the home side after the break the Hornets were able to hold on to record another confidence building win.
Goals from Ewan Clarke and Steve Kabba were enough of a cushion for the side to go on to claim their final pre-season scalp, although it wasn't without worry as Lincoln threw everything they had at the Hornets in a bid for a second half equaliser after Ollie Ryan pulled one back late on.
Before the game a long line of Lincoln legends were paraded to the crowd, amongst them one of Watford's greatest in the shape of Graham Taylor, who was also accompanied by former Hornets man John Ward.
In view of the famous cathedral nearby neither side could seize the early initiative, as the early afternoon sun baked the Lincolnshire turf.
First to show their hand were the Imps when they forced Richard Lee scrambling from his line to cut out a dangerous low cross, which came from a startlingly quick City break down the right.
The Hornets were slow into their stride at the other end however and it wasn't until the 19th minute that they became involved in an attacking sense.
A flowing Watford move evolved down the left hand side but having seen Alex Campana's cross cleared, the Imps defence switched off momentarily, leaving enough time for John-Joe O'Toole to half volley the ball straight back to Alan Marriott.
Watford were showing their teeth by this stage though and with the quality of football getting better and better it was no surprise when they finally broke into the lead.
Bang on the midpoint of the half Steve Kabba made a run down the right before sliding a pinpoint ball inside to the overlapping Adrian Mariappa. Cutting in from the right he squared the ball delightfully for Ewan Clarke, who side-footed home from close range for one-nil.
The two division gulf between the sides was now beginning to show evidence and within five minutes Kabba had nearly doubled the lead when heading narrowly over from Jordan Parkes' cross.
Moments later Douglas Rinaldi burst through the centre of midfield to slide a ball through to Clarke who, one-on-one, should have done more with his angled low drive that was smothered by Marriott off his line.
Going forward The 'Orns were fluent and it was advantage doubled just past the half-hour mark when Kabba was rewarded for his efforts with a goal of his own.
With the Imps struggling to shackle Rinaldi, the Brazilian was able to start the goal move with a pass to Clarke, who kept the move flowing with a crossfield ball to Campana.
In plenty of space the winger cut the ball back onto his right foot before landing his cross on the head of Kabba, who nodded into the bottom right hand corner with ease.
With the words of John Schofield clearly ringing in their ears the Imps burst out of the blocks in the second half, causing Watford several palpitations within the first five minutes of the half.
First Steve Torpey had an shot cleared off the line by a combination of Parkes and O'Toole before, from the resulting corner, giant Lincoln defender Nat Brown side footed off the crossbar from close range.
Brown was proving a considerable nuisance in Lee's area and from the very next corner powered a downward header goalwards, forcing the former Blackburn loanee to save smartly down to his right.
Lee was leaping once more shortly after when Jamie Forrester capitalised on a weak Cedric Avinel clearance and tried to lob the advancing 'keeper from just inside the area. Lee's calm claim was enough to keep the two goal lead intact however.
At the other end 17-year-old Clarke was still creating chances and two more one-on-one opportunities came and went with a save from Marriott and a shot dragged just wide respectively.
In between captain Clarke Carlisle upended Forrester just outside the area, which in the season proper would have seen a yellow card at the very least brandished for his misdemeanour. He didn't see yellow however and the Hornets were further relieved when the ensuing free-kick smacked back off the stubborn Hornets' wall.
Just past the hour mark Forrester - and rather comically the Imps' PA - was off celebrating only to see his effort ruled out for offside. And that was tellingly Forrester's last act on the pitch as he was replaced along with four others as Lincoln made a slew of substitutions.
Whether it was meant or not the move paid clear dividends for the home side as they once more upped the ante in front of a healthy Sincil Bank crowd, with Forrester's eventual replacement netting the comeback goal.
Lee Frecklington fired in a powerful shot from distance and with Lee only able to parry, substitute Ryan swept home the loose ball.
With his tail up Ryan nearly made an even greater impact two minutes later when he connected sweetly with the ball 20-yards out - his half volley smacking back off the upright with Lee stranded.
With four minutes to go Liam Henderson - on for Clarke - fed Campana infield, who forced a fine save from Marriott towards the top left hand corner of his goal.
But that sort of foray into enemy territory was all too brief for the visitors in a more difficult second period.
That said the win was recorded and with no fresh injury worries to report the Hornets they can now look forward to sharpening their focus on a visit to Molineux in six days time.
LINCOLN (4-4-2): Marriott; Green, Brown (Moses 65), Watt, Croft; Amoo (Warlow 65), Kerr (c) (Roddy 88), Frecklington, Dodds (N'Guessan 65); Torpey (Stallard 65), Forrester (Ryan 65). Subs not used: Duffy, Semple, S Clarke, Cotton.
WATFORD (4-5-1): Lee; Mariappa (Osbourne 45), Carlisle (c), Avinel, Parkes; Kabba, O'Toole, Bangura, Rinaldi, Campana; E Clarke (Henderson 75). Subs not used: Young, Morgan, Brown, Maxwell.
BOOKINGS: LINCOLN CITY; Watt (foul 46). WATFORD; none.
SENDINGS-OFF: LINCOLN CITY; none. WATFORD; none.
GOALS: LINCOLN CITY; Ryan (68). WATFORD; E Clark (23), Kabba (33).
REFEREE: Mr Howard Webb.
ATTENDANCE: 1,239.
