Watford ended Wrexham’s long away unbeaten run in the calendar year with a 3-1 win that keeps them pressing for a Championship play-off place.
Marc Bola and Edo Kayembe put the Hornets in control before Max Cleworth reduced the deficit for Wrexham; substitute Edoardo Bove sealed the victory in stoppage time, tapping in a rebound for his first goal for the club.
Edwards Still made four changes from the side that lost to Stoke, introducing Mattie Pollock, Luca Kjerrumgaard, Nestory Irankunda and Pierre Ekwah, who made his full debut. Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson made one switch, bringing Ryan Longman in for Issa Kabore.
Chances came early: Kjerrumgaard nodded wide from a Bola cross and Giorgi Chakvetadze struck the crossbar with a curling effort on 11 minutes. The opener arrived on 18 minutes after Chakvetadze surged from his own half and backheeled to Bola, who slotted past Arthur Okonkwo. Wrexham appealed for a penalty when Ollie Rathbone went down in the area but nothing was given.
Watford doubled their lead on 37 minutes after Irankunda’s run down the right created space for Kayembe to shoot from just outside the box. Irankunda then almost added a third with a volley in first-half stoppage time.
Early in the second half Cleworth converted a Rathbone corner to give Wrexham hope, and they piled on pressure. Pollock had to clear Dominic Hyam’s header off the line from a Lewis O’Brien corner and later again blocked Cleworth at the line to deny an equaliser.
With six minutes added on, Wrexham continued to push. A Bola effort struck the crossbar and Bove reacted quickest to convert the rebound and confirm the three points for Watford.
Still praised his side’s response after recent dropped points, saying he was delighted with the result and the performance and that Bove deserved his goal. Parkinson felt his team improved after the break and largely controlled the second half, but admitted fortune did not go their way as the chances failed to fall for them.