Interim Watford boss Tom Cleverley spoke of his pride after the Hornets became just the second side this season to stop Ipswich Town from scoring at Portman Road.

The Hornets made it five unbeaten under Cleverley, and joined QPR as the only other team to frustrate the Blues to a blank in Suffolk.

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"To a man, we were very, very good tonight,” he enthused. “I thought we lost our way a little bit for about 25 minutes before half-time. When the momentum comes at this ground, it’s hard to change.

“We put that right at half-time, demanded a bit more intensity in the challenges and the second balls and then we showed real courage to dominate the ball in large parts of the second half.

"And we showed we’re more than capable of competing at this level.”

It could have been even better for Watford, with Edo Kayembe's speculative shot from inside his own half well on the way to finding the net and producing a wild end to a cagey game.

East Anglian Daily Times: Vaclav Hladky clawed away a late, late effort which would have won the game for WatfordVaclav Hladky clawed away a late, late effort which would have won the game for Watford (Image: Stephen Waller)
But Town stopper Vaclav Hladky raced back into his area and launched himself into the air to claw the ball away, preserving his clean sheet and a point for the Blues, who missed the chance to go top of the Championship table.

Of Kayembe's late long-range bomb, he said: “That would have been the best goal, it was wind against as well - so if it was wind for, I think it had every chance!”

Cleverley has really solidified the Hornets since taking charge, with a win and four draws under his belt as he makes a strong case to earn the full-time job.

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He said: “I’m incredibly proud of the group. To come into the job when the season looked a little bit dead in the water, you’re staring down the barrel of a really tough run of fixtures and to respond to that challenge like we have.

“We’ve had high demands of the players in training, they’ve passed that challenge and then we’ve asked them to give everything for the football club and given everything for themselves and their teammates, and they’ve done it yet again. 

“We’re setting small markers down with the draw against Leeds, the draw away at West Brom, now the draw away at Ipswich.

“The big thing I’m most pleased with is the fight, the spirit and this is the absolute bare minimum and it’s sometimes been questioned of us, even when I was a player it was questioned of this squad.

“What isn’t questioned is the quality and the ability we have. If we can combine the two, I think we’ve got an exciting time ahead.”