Watford find form away from home to beat Burnley who continue to suffer after European commitments

After waiting seven months for a goal on the road, three came along at once for Watford, who maintained their 100 per cent start to the season in hugely impressive style.

A first Premier League away win for nine months at the 13th attempt was sealed as they found the net twice in the space of three minutes at the outset of the second-half to seal an outcome which was harsh on the hosts, who continue to acclimatise to the extra strain placed on their squad by their efforts to qualify for the group stages of the Uefa Cup.

The contest was finely balanced at the interval, but Burnley were undone by two clinical strikes to seal Watford's first victory at this venue for 14 years.

Troy Deeney restored the lead provided by Andre Gray's early effort when the hosts failed to clear their lines, allowing Abdoulaye Doucoure's precision pass releasing the Hornets' skipper to confidently beat Joe Hart from close range. Before Sean Dyche's side had chance to re-group they were further in arrears largely due to their own sloppy play.

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Full-back Matt Lowton's stray pass was intercepted deep in Burnley territory by Will Hughes, and with a challenge not forth-coming, the midfielder strode forward to fire into the bottom corner beyond Hart from 25 yards as the effects of Thursday's extra-time victory over the Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir seemed to take its toll on those in Claret and Blue.

These sides shared 11 goals here when Watford triumphed 7-4 in 2003, and they hinted at the possibly of a possible repeat by trading early goals as the meaningful first-half action was condensed into the opening six minutes.

Gray, who was making his latest return after moving to Vicarage Road for £9m 12 months ago, opened the scoring in the third minute with an eye-catching strike which was simple in its construction.

Deeney traded passes down Watford's right with his strike partner before sending in a driven cross which Gray needed no second invitation to volley unerringly past Joe Hart, the first goal the former England goalkeeper had conceded in what was his fourth appearance since joining from Manchester City.

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It was a landmark goal in that was the first time Watford have scored on the road in the Premier League for 229 days encompassing more than 12 hours of football since Gray found the net in a 3-1 defeat at the Etihad Stadium in January.

Not to be outdone, Gray's former Brentford team-mate James Tarkowski stemmed an even longer personal drought when the defender equalised just three minutes later. Johann Berg Gudmundsson's in-swinging corner should have been cleared, but Tarkowski lost his marker Craig Cathcart to head home at the far post, the centre-back's first goal since joining from Griffin Park almost two-and-a-half years ago.

The early promise quickly evaporated as, despite the best efforts of both sides, clearcut goalscoring chances became something of a rarity, although Ben Foster had to be alert to make a good save from Berg Gudmundsson's purposeful long-range free-kick midway through the half.

Gray was unable to control a far post volley from a diminishing angle at the end of a move that saw Roberto Pereyra stand up a decent cross from the left, and Hart did well to divert a low effort from long range from Deeney, but they was a rare attacks as Watford were increasingly pushed onto the defensive, and it took another good save from Foster to see them go in level at the break.

From Stephen Ward's ball into the box, Jeff Hendrick saw his low shot pushed out by the Hornets' keeper, with the subsequent hurried clearance from Jose Holebas falling to Ashley Westwood, whose shot from 20 yards flew narrowly off target.

Watford matched their express to the first-half in the second to swiftly put them out of sight, as much as Burnley attempted to gain a foothold in the contest. Substitute Sam Vokes almost scored with his first touch with a header narrowly wide, which would have set up a grandstand finish had it found the net but Ken Sema almost embellished the margin of victory when he forced Hart into a late save as the visitors finished strongly.