A DOMINIC FOLEY double helped Watford Reserves to a 3-1 victory against Coventry City at Vicarage Road on Wednesday night, with the Hornets also boosted by the return of Icleandic international Heidar Helguson after injury.

Manager Nigel Gibbs was reasonably pleased with the performance, and said: "In the first-half, we did well, but we didn't pass the ball round as well as we can. But the effort was good, the back three defended well, and it was good to get a first win and give Richard Johnson 90 minutes under his belt."

Watford moved ahead in the 25th minute when Anthony McNamee's whipped cross from the left was headed home by the unmarked Foley, who had escaped marker Sean Cooney.

Cooney's night went from bad to worse 60 seconds later when a long punt up-field by Richard Lee was flicked on by Helguson and the defender inadvertently clipped the ball over the on-rushing Fabien Debec in the City goal.

A more positive City side took to the park for the second-half, as Watford who had withdrawn Heidar Helguson at the break struggled to break out of their own half.

Lee Mills did pull one back on the hour when he pounced on a loose ball in the Watford box to poke home the ball after a Craig Pead corner from the right.

However, the Hornets sealed the points with the last kick of the ball when Paolo Vernazza broke up a City attack in midfield, and released Foley, who outpaced Cooney, before driving the ball high past Debec into the roof of the net.

Watford: Lee; Herd; Doyley; Ifil; Smith; Swonnell; Vernazza; Johnson; McNamee; Foley; Helguson. Substitutes: Godfrey for Helguson after 45 minutes; Blizzard, Baardsen, Cook and Williams not used.