Jeremy Ngakia scored twice in first-half stoppage time as Watford came from behind to beat Oxford United 2-1 at Vicarage Road, earning a third game unbeaten heading into the international break. The right-back's quickfire double cancelled out Max Alleyne's early own goal and lifted Paulo Pezzolano's side into the top half of the Championship, while leaving Gary Rowett's Oxford stuck in the relegation zone with just one win from nine league matches.
After falling behind from a corner inside three minutes, Watford gradually imposed themselves and turned the match around in a breathless spell just before half-time. They then missed several chances to kill the contest, with Rocco Vata, Nestory Irankunda and substitute Luca Kjerrumgaard all denied by Oxford goalkeeper Jamie Cumming, before the visitors mounted a late assault that Egil Selvik and a steadier Hornets midfield managed to repel.
Oxford's dream start and Watford's growing response
Both managers shuffled their packs after midweek draws. Pezzolano recalled Kevin Keben, Ngakia, Vata and Nampalys Mendy to his starting XI following the stalemate at Portsmouth, while Irankunda kept his place on the flank. Rowett responded to Oxford's goalless draw with QPR by bringing Greg Leigh, Siriki Dembele and Stanley Mills into the side, and his team got exactly the start he would have wanted.