Edo Kayembe (right) celebrates after scoring his second goal
Edo Kayembe scored twice as Watford's 100% start to the season continued with victory over Stoke City and a climb into second place in the table.
The Hornets forward, who took his season's tally to three goals, stood out in an excellent all-round display from Tom Cleverley’s side.
His two second-half strikes - sandwiching a third from right wing-back Ryan Andrews in a fine individual display from the teenager - helped Watford to a comfortable win.
The home side might reasonably argue they could have doubled their haul in a match during which their momentum built throughout a second half of one-way traffic.
Yet three points was enough to keep up manager Cleverley's perfect start to the season after an opening-day win at Millwall and Carabao Cup stroll against MK Dons.
It also kept intact the 35-year-old's unbeaten home record since being handed the Watford reins in March.
Edo Kayembe is mobbed by teammates after scoring Watford's third
Victory put Watford behind only pacesetters Burnley in the Championship table, yet it will have been the cutting edge in front of goal – they have now scored six in two league outings – that will please Cleverley most.
Just a week on from burgling the late 90th-minute 3-2 win at Millwall, his Hornets built on a 5-0 cup victory over MK Dons with an increasingly confident and dominant display against visitors Stoke.
Kayembe was on hand to turn in the loose change from Andrews' shot from the right on 47 minutes.
Two minutes later, Viktor Johansson, who might well have done better with Watford’s opener, could only parry again after Yasser Larouci's shot from the left side popped up to Andrews at the back post.
Kayembe, who had opened his account for the season against Millwall by scoring direct from a corner, added Watford's third to seal all three points on 73 minutes.
His second of the game came after a quick breakaway down the right, his rocket shot taking a deflection before going in via goalkeeper's glove, post then bar.
Stoke will be disappointed with the outcome from a game during which they traded blows from the front foot in the first half - but which got away from them in the second period.
But Steven Schumacher's side will not be too downhearted after a start which has seen them win two out of their three matches in league and cup.
Watford boss Tom Cleverley:
“We didn’t have the ideal pre-season results-wise but I’m glad the lads still believed in the process, in all the principles we are trying to coach.
“That belief has been rewarded in the last week or so.
“It’s three wins out of three and now it is time to rest, recuperate and really double down on the standards because that’s what separates winning teams from just good teams.
“It’s not celebration mode now but we feel a sense of reward.”
Stoke City boss Steven Schumacher told BBC Radio Stoke:
“Obviously we are disappointed with the result and the outcome. We felt in the first half we played really well.
"The only criticism I had from the first half was that we are not ahead. But, when we conceded a second goal it became an uphill battle, one we were unable to overcome.
“Goals change games and unfortunately they got the first. If we had got it in the first half that would have been perfect for our gameplan.
“It is one of those games that we will learn from, put it to bed and then move on.”
