Birmingham 0-1 Watford: Emmanuel Dennis goal secures victory

Struggling Birmingham City were left ruing a defensive lapse that ruined an otherwise much-improved performance as Emmanuel Dennis' first-half goal gave Tom Cleverley a win in his first game as Watford interim head coach.

Ethan Laird hit the bar and Koji Kiyoshi and Juninho Bacuna went close before Watford were handed the only goal of the game.

Collecting the ball from a throw, Emmanuel Aiwu dithered on the edge of his area and was robbed by Dennis who gave John Ruddy no chance.

Ruddy denied Dennis seconds later before Blues responded after the break when Miyoshi had the best of another bunch of chances but saw his shot from 18 yards excellently saved by Daniel Bachmann.

Birmingham stay out of the relegation zone on goal difference, while Watford picked up their first win in five games - and their sixth win in the last seven meetings with Blues.

Blues interim head coach Mark Venus had said at the start of the week his side had to get something out of their next two home games but, after Tuesday's defeat by Middlesbrough, pressure for the visit of the Hornets was cranked up several notches.

His side showed none of their midweek sluggishness and dominated the early stages as Wales midfielder Jordan James headed just over the bar and Miyoshi dragged wide from 18 yards after neat approach play.

Laird then saw his clever glancing header at the near post from Bacuna's corner land on top of the bar and bounce over.

Cleverley, named this week as Valerien Ismael's replacement, has vowed to change the squad's mindset and instil a more confident, attacking philosophy but his side struggled to make much of an early impression.

Their first shot flew over the bar from Tom Dele-Bahiru after half an hour. But they were gifted the lead when Aiwu had his pocket picked by Dennis who lifted it over Ruddy into the roof of the net.

Ruddy then had to react superbly to deny Dennis a second moments later as the home side threatened to capitulate further.

Birmingham again started brightly after the break and should have levelled on 55 minutes but Ivan Sunjic poked wide from eight yards after Jay Stansfield's jinking run to the area.

They had another very good chance shortly after when Bacuna's cut-back from the bye-line eventually fell to Miyoshi whose drilled effort from the edge of the box was brilliantly pawed away by an initially-unsighted Bachmann.

Miyoshi then chose to shoot at the keeper from 12 yards with Stansfield probably better placed to score before Tyler Roberts, Paik Seung-Ho and Lukas Jutkiewicz all had further chances as Blues swarmed forward in search of an equaliser.

Birmingham's frustrating afternoon was compounded by an injury to substitute Jutkiewicz, who had to be helped off the field in added time with what seemed to be a knee problem.

Birmingham interim head coach Mark Venus told BBC Radio WM:

"Everybody gave everything. I can't question any of them. The quality, the desire, everything we need to have in the remaining eight games.

"We need more quality to score goals - everybody knows that - but we have to keep believing.

"The guys were getting in the box and they all wanted to score but it didn't come for whatever reason.

"We tried to breed a team spirit but it's coming. We're in a mess and we need to get out of this situation and that's going to need a team."

Watford interim boss Tom Cleverley told BBC Three Counties Radio:

"That's exactly what the doctor ordered. It's what I dreamt of last night. It wasn't as perfect as it sounds but, if the players play with that much desire and heart to stop the ball going in our half, we have a bright future.

"They are players I've played with and I know they are fighters and warriors. They really showed that for me.

"It was a little more chaotic than I'm used to, with the noise, the occasion. Birmingham played well. I came to their game on Tuesday and saw they were in quite a flat way, but this time they were excellent. Credit to us for winning.

"The result was all that mattered. We were starting to fall down and starting to look over our shoulders. Hopefully this will be the shackles off and we can try and finish the season in a positive way so everyone is full of optimism for next year."

• Join the BBC Sport WhatsApp channels