Watford head coach Valerien Ismael believes strength in depth is starting to pay off for his side as they secured a late 1-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday.
A fine solo effort by substitute Yaser Asprilla was the difference at wet Vicarage Road, a goal that saw new Owls head coach Danny Rohl suffer defeat in his first game.
The Colombian was on the field for four minutes before his strike, and Ismael felt the ability to rotate players will prove to be a bonus.
He said: “We’ve got all the players available, so when you see the bench there’s a lot of quality.
“You put the pressure on the players to perform, but if they aren’t performing then we have to change because another player is waiting to play. This is what we need. We are coming through with the team spirit.
“We don’t rely on the one player to make the difference if everything goes wrong, but we are now able to make the difference at any time. Hopefully it can help the player to step up more and build up momentum.”
The game was largely a dull affair, but livened up after the restart.
It was the the visitors who had the first opportunity five minutes after the interval. A curled free kick from Windass found the head of Hendrick, who flicked his effort just over the bar.
They appeared to have the perfect opportunity nine minutes after the restart. Anthony Musaba was seemingly fouled by Jamal Lewis in the area, and referee Dean Whitestone awarded a spot kick. However, after further consultation with his assistant he overturned the decision and gave a corner instead.
The decision seemed to galvanise Watford, who started to press their way into the contest and force their opponents further on the back foot.
Even so, it was seemingly heading for a stalemate, with no tangible attempt on target from either side.
The decisive moment came eight minutes from time, with Asprilla demonstrating some fine ball control.
He picked up the ball on the right flank from Ismael Kone, and was able to work his way into the centre of the field, getting in a shot from the edge of the area that was driven past keeper Cameron Dawson.
Wednesday looked deflated after going behind, and Watford looked more likely to add a second.
Although that did not arrive, the hosts earned their first victory – and clean sheet – since mid-September.
Defeat meant the Hillsborough outfit are without a win in 12 games, and remain bottom with a nine point gap from safety.
Even so, Rohl saw plus points from his new side.
He said: “There were a lot of positive things. We trained hard this week with a lot of intensity and energy.
“Then we have the disappointment with the penalty not being awarded. For me it was a new situation the assistant overturning the decision.
“I will take the good things and we will have to go forward with the next match. I spoke with the players about what is needed to improve in the next days and the next months. It will be a tough season, we know this.
“But I see a team that has the basics, has the mentality and has the willingness – it’s to bring this with my style of football. We want to have the ball on the ground.”
Sheffield United go top of Championship with draw despite Ahmedhodzic red
Sheffield United went top of the Championship following their 2-2 draw away to Coventry City despite twice surrendering the lead.
Chris Wilder's side are one point ahead of second-placed Sunderland ahead of Saturday's other matches although, after Tyrese Campbell put them one up after 13 minutes, they would have been hoping for a bigger lead.
Coventry forward Norman Bassette equalised nine minutes later, but Jesurun Rak-Sakyi had the visitors back in front on 34 minutes, having been set up by former Coventry man Gustavo Hamer.
Then came the game-defining incident, with Anel Ahmedhodzic sent off in the 44th minute after grabbing Bassette by his neck and throwing him to the ground. Tempers flared into half-time, but it was the home side who piled on the pressure in the second half.
The managerless Sky Blues got their reward 10 minutes from time through Bobby Thomas, meaning that they have now come back from losing positions to draw in back-to-back matches. They sit 16th in the table.
Elsewhere, Burnley went third after their second straight 1-0 victory as they beat Bristol City on the road. Jaidon Anthony scored the only goal of the game, although the home side created plenty of pressure and saw a penalty claim denied in the second half.
Scott Parker's side, nevertheless, kept their fourth clean sheet in five to get themselves back in the hunt for the top two.
Sheffield Wednesday and Cardiff City shared the points in a 1-1 draw at Hillsborough that does neither side many favours in their aim to climb clear of the relegation scrap.
Both goals came within two first-half minutes, with Ollie Tanner getting the visitors ahead from a Callum Robinson rebound in the 34th minute. The lead didn't last long though, with Di'Shon Bernard on hand to scramble home and restore parity almost straight away.
The result leaves Wednesday in 14th, four points above the bottom three, while Cardiff are 19th and just a point above third-bottom Luton Town.
Leicester City 1-2 Chelsea: Jackson and Fernandez mark a happy return for Maresca
Chelsea came through a nervy finish to beat Leicester City 2-1 at the King Power Stadium on Saturday.
Enzo Maresca guided Leicester to promotion last season before switching allegiance to Chelsea, who returned to winning ways after two successive draws in the Premier League.
Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez were on the scoresheet for the Blues as Jordan Ayew’s stoppage-time penalty proved only to be a consolation for the hosts.
The visitors dominated early on and Jackson’s brilliant outside-of-the-foot finish past Mads Hermansen gave them the lead in the 15th minute.
Jackson was involved in Chelsea’s second, too, as his header was saved by Hermansen, only for Fernandez to nod home the rebound in the 75th minute.
Ayew made no mistake from the spot to set up a grandstand finale, but third-place Chelsea held firm to move to within a point of Manchester City, prior to the reigning Premier League champions’ clash with Tottenham later on Saturday, while Leicester dropped down to 16th.
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