Watford 0-1 Blackburn Rovers: Ryan Hedges' moment of magic gives Blackburn the win and piles on the pressure for Valerien Ismael

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Blackburn fans may have been aggrieved by the early Sunday kick-off time but a moment of magic from Ryan Hedges sent them on the long journey back to Lancashire with smiles on their faces.

The Rovers supporters who made the near 420-mile round trip for the noon start made their feelings clear in the first-half with chants directed at the broadcasters for their scheduling of the match.

A quite sensational effort from Hedges 18 minutes from time ensured it was all worth it. 

The Welsh winger collected a loose ball on the edge of the area, flicked it over Watford defender Wesley Hoedt, juggled it twice and fired beyond Daniel Bachmann with his weaker foot from a tight angle.

The goal was more than deserving of giving Blackburn a smash-and-grab three points here. 'The finish was beautiful,' said Rovers manager Jon Dahl Tomasson.

Blackburn Rovers beat Watford 1-0 in their Championship clash on Sunday at Vicarage Road

Ryan Hedges scored only goal of the game from a tight angle after some wonderful build-up

Hedges pulled out a golf-swing celebration as Blackburn travel up north with all three points

Valerie Ismael's side are in a goal drought, not scoring in four hours of Championship football

'I told Ryan to always shoot with the right foot now instead of the left!'

For Watford, the drought goes on. Their last goal in the league came nearly four hours ago - the fourth in the first-half blitz against QPR on the first day of the season.

The Hornets are creating chances and they had 24 goal attempts here. 

Matheus Martins hit the crossbar, the post and had a one-on-one saved but it is little wonder they have spent more than £1million on a new striker in Mileta Rajovic.

Ismael had laid down the law prior to kick-off as he dropped Imran Louza, believed to be because he was late for training, before he was brought on in the second half.

'Everyone has to respect the rules and Imran knows why he was on the bench,' Watford boss Valerien Ismael said. 

'I'm not happy to make some decisions but I have to take action when the rules aren't respected. Nobody is bigger than the club or the team.'

Hedges' wondergoal was out of place in a largely dour affair at Vicarage Road. 

It has been 16 years since these two sides met in the Premier League and judging on this evidence, it will be a little while longer before they are locking horns in the top-flight again.

Chances were few and far between throughout. Martins had the best of the opportunities for Watford as his 20-yard curler crashed off the bar in the first half before his low strike was touched onto the post by Blackburn goalkeeper Aynsley Pears late on. It wasn't to be his – or Watford's - day.

Watford's Tom Dele-Bashiru was replaced by Giorgi Chakvetadze but neither showed much

Jon Dahl Tomasson will be pleased with his side's win after last weeks 2-1 loss to Hull City

Matheus Martins had a tough day as he had a one-on-one saved and hit the post and crossbar