SAINTS could not find a way through Championship outfit Watford – and did not look the more likely to do so – in a 0-0 draw at Wealdstone.

Only Adam Armstrong has found the net in the first three games of pre-season for Saints, who toiled but were lucky to draw with the Hornets.

Captain James Ward-Prowse made a return to matchday action after missing the friendlies versus RB Leipzig and Klagenfurt through a knock in training.

Ralph Hasenhuttl persisted with the new shape trialled during both matches in Austria, seeing Moussa Djenepo and Kyle Walker-Peters deployed as bombastic wing-backs.

A novel alteration, though, was seeing Stuart Armstrong alongside his namesake in a striker pairing – and proving the most incisive of any in the white and red shirts.

Only six substitutes were taken to the capital in what looked to resemble more of a ‘real’ match scenario, but supporters will hope what they saw on the pitch does not follow suit.

Watford, with a significant portion of the crowd at Grosvenor Vale behind them, had the better of the opening 15 minutes with slicker passing and a few shots on goal blocked.

The visitors’ first big chance came courtesy of a smart lofted ball over the final line by Armstrong, but busy Joe Aribo directed his first-time effort into the onrushing Daniel Bachmann.

Gavin Bazunu then began to be tested with low driven efforts and high-hanging crosses, passing each of them confidently going into half-time.

Hasenhuttl opted for a double change but stayed with the same system, Lyanco and Che Adams coming on as like for like replacements for their men.

Saints had an opening after the break following a good wide run from Armstrong, but skipper Ward-Prowse could not find a clean touch or connection from the edge of the area.

Ward-Prowse then blazed a free-kick well over, before his return to the side was ended after 63 minutes. Hasenhuttl had made all of his outfield changes by the 70th, with Moi Elyounoussi and Oriol Romeu the last to be introduced.

Watford were still the side to come closest, following successive corners that eventually required a goalbound clearance, as Saints failed to look like adding to the one goal they scored last week.

Substitute Elyounoussi had to sweep off the line in the final five minutes after Bazunu was well beaten from close-range, with the Championship challengers fully taking control.

Saints: Bazunu; Walker-Peters, Bednarek, Salisu, Bella-Kotchap (Lyanco, h-t), Djenepo; Lavia, Ward-Prowse (Diallo, 63); Aribo (Romeu, 69), S Armstrong (Elyounoussi, 69), A Armstrong (Adams, h-t).

Unused subs: McCarthy (g/k)

Watford: Bachmann; Cathcart, Dele-Bashiru, Joao Pedro, Kabasele, Kamara, Kayembe, Manaj, Sema, Sierralta, Dennis.

Subs: Asprilla, Bayo, Cleverly, Gosling, Hungbo, Ngakia, Pollock, Quina, Troost-Ekong, Hamer (g/k), Okoye (g/k)

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