Watford picked up a first home win in almost five months in Tom Cleverley's first game as permanent Head Coach with a 1-0 win over Sunderland at Vicarage Road.

Ryan Andrews was on the scoresheet midway through the second half with the only goal of the game as the Hornets marked the final home game of the 2023/24 season with a victory.

Sunderland went closest through Chris Rigg, but a solid all-round display saw the Hornets earn that long-awaited three points at Vicarage Road.

Cleverley handed a full debut to Watford-born Jack Grieves, with Mattie Pollock and Ken Sema also coming into the side.

The first chance saw Ismaël Koné fire over after receiving the ball on the edge of the box in an otherwise scrappy start to the game.

Some good work from Watford saw the ball won high up the pitch before being played to Vakoun Bayo, who attempted a dink with Anthony Patterson off his line but his effort couldn’t get off the ground.

Edo Kayembe also saw a shot from outside the box sail over the bar in a first half lacking in opportunities.

Sunderland grew into the game and forced Ryan Porteous into a goalline clearance when Dan Ballard rose highest at the back post from a floated corner.

Koné then created another chance for himself with some excellent dribbling into the box, but in the end his shot was tame as it trickled wide of the post.

As the interval approached, the two best chances of the half fell to the visitors.

Yáser Asprilla was caught napping, allowing the Black Cats to break. The ball eventually fell to Rigg, unmarked in the box, but somehow his shot went wide.

Sunderland then had another excellent chance on the stroke of the break when Trai Hume received the ball in the six-yard box after a slick passing move, but Dan Bachmann made himself big enough to block the effort and divert it wide.

Jack Clarke had two good chances after the restart to break the deadlock, first firing a shot wide before a limp effort was easily claimed by Bachmann.

After absorbing the away side’s pressure, the Hornets looked to take the prerogative, creating an excellent chance to take the lead.

Excellent work from Sema on the wing saw a dinked cross sent into the area, which fell to Edo Kayembe via a Sunderland head. The Congolese midfielder struck his first-time volley sweetly, but Patterson was able to keep out his strong effort.

The game was starting to get up to speed, with Koné sending an outrageous outside-of-the-boot effort wide as the Hornets started to knock on the door.

It wasn’t long before Watford’s attacking impetus was rewarded with a goal, with a fast-paced flowing move finished by Andrews.

A quick break forward sawl Koné driving down the left with the right-back for company on the other side, before the Canadian played an inch-perfect pass to find him just inside the box.

Andrews took a touch before producing a finish a striker would be proud of to beat Patterson, which sparked wild celebrations in front of the Rookery.

With the clock ticking down, both sides made changes in anticipation of a tense remainder of the game.

Sunderland substitute Abdolluah Ba was able to get a shot off in the box from a tight angle, but Bachmann was equal to his effort.

With applause ringing around the ground to remember Sunderland legend Charlie Hurley, the Black Cats almost found their equaliser.

Breaking from a Watford corner, the ball was pulled back in the box to Patrick Roberts, who mistimed his kick, before Bachmann did superbly to prevent Callum Styles from close-range.

A frantic final few minutes saw Sunderland pressing to find an equaliser, but the Watford defence stood firm to start Cleverley's tenure in the perfect way, earning a first home league win since the 3-2 success over Norwich City on November 28.