A stunning second-half brace from Jake Livermore saw Watford return to winning ways in the league with a 2-1 victory away to Queens Park Rangers.

It took until after the interval for the game to really get going, with a couple of impressive strikes from outside the area by Livermore seeing the Hornets take a two-goal lead.

Lyndon Dykes poked home to give the hosts hope of turning the game around, but Watford were able to hold on as they made it five games unbeaten away from home in the Sky Bet Championship.

The result sees Watford rise to eighth in the table, just one point outside the play-off places.

Head Coach Valérien Ismaël opted for four changes from the side that drew 3-3 away to Plymouth Argyle in their previous league fixture.

Francisco Sierralta, Tom Dele-Bashiru and Yáser Asprilla all came back into the side, whilst Rhys Healey made his first league start for the Hornets. Ryan Porteous and Ismaël Koné could only start from the bench due to illness, with Mileta Rajović and the injured Edo Kayembe the other two to make way.

A frantic start saw Watford have plenty of the ball, but it was the home side who had the first sight of goal. Chris Willock’s curling effort didn’t challenge Ben Hamer, whilst Sinclair Armstrong could only direct his header from Kenneth Paal’s cross wide.

The game struggled to get going from the positive start, with intermittent fouls breaking up play. As a result, Sam Field, Kenneth Paal and Livermore all went into the book early. The latter’s infringement resulted in a free-kick on the edge of the box for the Hoops, but the returning Ilias Chair’s effort sailed over the bar.

It took a while for the Golden Boys’ attack to get into full flow, with their first chance of the afternoon seeing Matheus Martins cut in from the left and take aim, but his shot flew wide of the far post.

The Hornets then had their first opportunity to test Rangers from a set-piece, with the home side’s frailities well documented. Sierralta rose highest with his effort cannoning off the crossbar, but it didn’t matter as the linesman already had his flag raised for offside.

Watford did grow into the game, with a slick passing move seeing Healey pass it onto Asprilla, who then released the over-lapping Ryan Andrews, but his low cross was cleared.

The first shot on target of the match came just before half-time, with Armstrong driving down the right for the Hoops before releasing his powerful effort that Hamer could only parry, with an excellent last-ditch challenge from Andrews preventing Chair from a sight at an empty net.

After the interval, the hosts were immediately out of the blocks when Armstrong dispossessed Sierralta and raced through on goal, with Hamer doing well to keep out his effort to keep the scores level.

The game was certainly being played at a higher tempo after half-time, with proceedings constantly switching from end to end.

Giorgi Chakvetadze’s effort from the edge of box was well held by Asmir Begović, before quick thinking from the keeper released Chris Willock on the counter, who in turn found Armstrong, but Hamer was able to match the shot.

QPR would rue these missed chances when the ball fell to Livermore on the edge of the box, with the midfielder taking a touch before expertly curling his effort into the top right-hand corner to give the Hornets the lead.

The Hoops had the chance to respond immediately when the ball fell to Jack Colback inside the area, but the midfielder couldn’t make the most of it as he dragged his effort wide.

The impact of this missed chance was compounded soon after when another quick turnover found Livermore again in space on the edge of the box. This time he opted to drive the ball along the ground into the bottom right-hand corner to complete his brace and double the Hornets’ advantage.

Rangers were eager to reduce the deficit and did just that when substitute Paul Smyth worked his way into the box down the right before firing in a cross, with top scorer Dykes there to tap home and set up a nervy finish for those travelling fans.

The end of the game did test the nerves for those fans both watching at Loftus Road and at home, with Rangers throwing everything they could to try and earn a point.

Defender Jimmy Dunne thought he had done enough to draw his team level with his curling shot following some pinball in the box, but an excellent one-handed save low to his right from Hamer kept the Hornets in the lead.

The save would prove imperative as Watford held on for a fourth away win in five matches, thanks to two goals from an unlikely source.