Southampton baited over Spygate scandal in defeat at Watford

Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Watford and Southampton at Vicarage Road; Hornets win 2-1 to give new boss Alessio Dionisi a winning start in the league; Iker Bravo and Amin Nabizada first-half goals were enough after Cyle Larin pulled one back

Southampton discovered that the Championship will be an unforgiving arena this season as they were baited about Spygate on their way to being beaten 2-1 by a new-look Watford side at Vicarage Road.

Playing their first league fixture since the espionage affair that saw them thrown out of the play-offs in May, Tonda Eckert's side had no answer to the home team's energy and tenacity.

Summer signing Iker Bravo and teenage academy product Amin Nabizada gave new Watford manager Alessio Dionisi a fine win, while Southampton's players were heckled, both on the pitch and from the stands, for their actions at the end of last season.

When Taylor Harwood-Bellis screwed a stoppage-time shot badly wide, the defender who was seen as one of the villains of the Spygate saga was verbally riled by a succession of Watford players.

The defeat already leaves Southampton seven points off top spot, with the south coast side sitting at the foot of the table following their four-point deduction after the Spygate scandal.

Jack Stephens' aimless kick was seized upon by Bravo, a summer arrival from Udinese. The 21-year-old Spaniard did not hesitate, driving forward and stabbing the ball home.

The goal lifted the uncertainty that had enveloped Vicarage Road in the build-up to the new Championship season.

Australia winger Nestory Irankunda was sold to Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon 24 hours earlier, while last season's captain Imran Louza was left out of the squad by Dionisi after the midfielder again asked to leave the club.

On the opposite wing, Watford youth product Nabizada seized on another wayward Southampton pass, this time by Ryan Manning, to speed away down the right.

It appeared as if the teenager had pushed the ball too far as he drove into the Southampton area before he suddenly unleashed a low shot into the far bottom corner.

Southampton reduced their arrears in the second half. Cameron Bragg stabbed the ball through to Cyle Larin 10 yards from goal, and the Canada international slid the ball past Federico Ravaglia in the 56th minute.

Within a minute the new Watford keeper was forced into a reaction save low down from Larin's sweeping volley.

Seconds later at the other end, it might have been 3-1 to the hosts when the lively Bravo looked certain to extend Watford's lead, only for Manning to charge down his shot with a brilliant sliding challenge.