Soccer Football - Premier League - Watford vs Stoke City - Vicarage Road, Watford, Britain - October 28, 2017 Stoke City's Darren Fletcher celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Peter Nicholls
(Reuters) - WATFORD 0 STOKE CITY 1
Stoke upset the form book to earn a first Premier League away win of the season as they battled to a 1-0 victory over high-flying Watford at Vicarage Road on Saturday.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Watford vs Stoke City - Vicarage Road, Watford, Britain - October 28, 2017 Stoke City's Ryan Shawcross, Kevin Wimmer and Kurt Zouma celebrate at the end of the match Action Images via Reuters/Tony O'Brien
Darren Fletcher scored his first goal for Stoke with a superb volley from a Xherdan Shaqiri corner to put the visitors into a 16th minute lead.
Watford created plenty of chances in the second half, but failed to find an equaliser, with Brazilian Richarlison guilty of missing promising chances.
Marco Silva's side have now lost back-to-back games in the league and slip to seventh in the standings, while Stoke climb out of the bottom three and up to 13th after an impressive sixth win in seven visits to Vicarage Road.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Watford vs Stoke City - Vicarage Road, Watford, Britain - October 28, 2017 Stoke City's Ryan Shawcross in action with Watford's Christian Kabasele and Miguel Angel Britos REUTERS/Peter Nicholls
Watford started well in the Hertfordshire sunshine, but were caught cold as Fletcher brilliantly controlled a volley into the net from the edge of the box after Shaqiri had picked him out from a corner.
Having played so well at Chelsea last week, the home side struggled to find any rhythm in the opening 45 minutes and did not muster a single shot at goal as Stoke, who had only 34 percent of the possession, eased into a half-time lead.
"We didn't play in the first half," Watford boss Silva said. "We gave them a 45 minute advantage. The goal we conceded was a gift, too."
Soccer Football - Premier League - Watford vs Stoke City - Vicarage Road, Watford, Britain - October 28, 2017 Stoke City's Darren Fletcher scores their first goal REUTERS/Peter Nicholls
The hosts came out for the second half with more impetus, and were denied a potential equaliser by a superb Ryan Shawcross block at the near post three minutes after the interval.
Watford continued to press, and again came close to a leveller in the 56th minute, but Richarlison could only find the side-netting from a tight angle.
Stoke's Joe Allen then scuffed a shot wide on the hour mark, before Richarlison again missed a glaring opportunity, heading wide at the other end.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Watford vs Stoke City - Vicarage Road, Watford, Britain - October 28, 2017 Watford's Tom Cleverley in action with Stoke City's Joe Allen Action Images via Reuters/Tony O'Brien
The chances kept coming for Watford, with substitute Andre Gray the next guilty party, slicing a half volley wide from a good position.
Tempers ran high late in the game, with Hornets captain Troy Deeney grappling with midfielder Allen.
Substitute Charlie Adam then hit the post at the death after rounding a stranded Heurelho Gomes, but Stoke held on to secure a much-needed victory that eases the pressure on manager Mark Hughes.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Watford vs Stoke City - Vicarage Road, Watford, Britain - October 28, 2017 Watford's Jose Holebas and Stoke City's Mame Biram Diouf after sustaining injuries REUTERS/Peter Nicholls
(Reporting by Pete Hall, editing by Ed Osmond and Christian Radnedge)
Soccer Football - Premier League - Watford vs Stoke City - Vicarage Road, Watford, Britain - October 28, 2017 Stoke City's Charlie Adam in action with Watford's Heurelho Gomes REUTERS/Peter Nicholls Soccer Football - Premier League - Watford vs Stoke City - Vicarage Road, Watford, Britain - October 28, 2017 Stoke City's Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting is shown a yellow card by referee Robert Madley as Darren Fletcher looks on REUTERS/Peter Nicholls Soccer Football - Premier League - Watford vs Stoke City - Vicarage Road, Watford, Britain - October 28, 2017 Stoke City's Xherdan Shaqiri looks dejected after he was shown a yellow card by referee MIchael Oliver REUTERS/Peter Nicholls Soccer Football - Premier League - Watford vs Stoke City - Vicarage Road, Watford, Britain - October 28, 2017 Stoke City's Jack Butland in action Action Images via Reuters/Tony O'Brien Soccer Football - Premier League - Watford vs Stoke City - Vicarage Road, Watford, Britain - October 28, 2017 Stoke City's Ryan Shawcross and Watford's Jose Holebas clash Action Images via Reuters/Tony O'Brien Soccer Football - Premier League - Watford vs Stoke City - Vicarage Road, Watford, Britain - October 28, 2017 Stoke City's Darren Fletcher and Mame Biram Diouf clash with Watford's Jose Holebas REUTERS/Peter Nicholls Soccer Football - Premier League - Watford vs Stoke City - Vicarage Road, Watford, Britain - October 28, 2017 Stoke City manager Mark Hughes celebrates after the match REUTERS/Peter Nicholls
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