Watford have defeated Middlesbrough 1-0 at home in a Championship game that saw two red cards in four minutes, thanks to a second-half penalty from Troy Deeney.

© Getty Images

Aitor Karanka's men enjoyed plenty of possession in the opening period and tried to edge ahead when long-range attempts from Grant Leadbitter and Emanuel Ledesma went just wide of the Hornets goal.

Fernando Forestieri provided the greatest danger to the visitors before the interval, but the Argentine forward was unable to test Boro keeper Shay Given midway through the first half.

Middlesbrough thought that they had taken the lead just before the break when Jonathan Woodgate met Leadbitter's cross and beat Bond with a header, but the linesman deemed the defender to be offside.

The hosts' best chance of an otherwise quiet 45 minutes came when Forestieri's snap-shot went inches wide.

After being under pressure for much of the first period, Watford were ahead soon after the restart. Ben Gibson brought down Forestieri in the area, and Troy Deeney converted the subsequent spot kick.

Just as the Hornets thought that they had a grip on proceedings, midfielder Samba Diakite was sent off two minutes later for a two-footed challenge.

However, referee Oliver Langford's decision-making was soon brought into question when he showed a red card to Gibson on 56 minutes.

The Boro defender was deemed to be impeding Bond's attempt to throw the ball out of defence, despite the player having his back to the Watford shot-stopper.

The visitors tried to get back into the game as Kei Kamara's last-gasp header was somehow kept out by Bond, but Watford were able to hold on to their lead and leapfrog Middlesbrough in the Championship table.