Still acknowledges that experienced striker Bamford made the difference

Watford head coach Ed Still acknowledged that the experience of striker Patrick Bamford made the difference as Watford were beaten 2-0 by Sheffield United on Saturday.

Bamford scored a second-half brace, the first somewhat fortuitous but the second a lovely finish, to take the game away from the Hornets.

More: What a series of head coaches have said about the culture at Watford

The hosts' three centre-forward options are all aged 23 or under, with Mamadou Doumbia and Luca Kjerrumgaard sharing the minutes in the main, and none of them have scored 10 goals this season.

Still highlighted the importance of experience in key positions as a decisive factor on Saturday.

He said: "That experience is vital, yeah, and experience in key positions.

"He [Bamford] was ultimately the difference between winning and not winning, especially when you see the chances we've created in the game.

"The game was there to be taken. We did enough to create the chances and to be in the game until the second goal has gone in.

"So it's that experience - and Bamford today has been fantastic. He took the moment."

Watford head coach Ed Still (Image: Alan Cozzi/Watford FC)

Still was referring to chances missed by Edo Kayembe before half-time and Mamadou Doumbia after it, either of which could have set the afternoon on a different course.

He broke the match down into three separate stages in his assessment afterwards, saying: "In the first 10-15 minutes, we just needed to put our foot on the ball, get control and go from there.

"They caused us some issues with their build-up, which is different to what they've been doing, but we adapted really well and the last half hour of the first half was fine.

"They weren't creating much and we've had a really good chance just before half-time. We had a shout for a penalty, too, and we were fine, in control.

"We knew a couple of tweaks we wanted to make would help us, and they did, and we started the second half well. Doumbia's had a really good chance, there's a penalty at the beginning of the second half as well.

More: Still adamant he is the man to lead significant change after another defeat

"And then we concede a goal that probably sums it up - not just the moment we're in but Watford's end of seasons for however many years.

"Our reaction to the start of the phase isn't good enough, we don't stop them playing out after we've lost the ball, and then we haven't stopped the action in the middle line - then we just get an unlucky break.

"Then we're caught slacking and the risk of having so many young players on the pitch is seen with that second goal."

It was the reaction to going 2-0 down, though, that was the most alarming period of the match.

Still said: "It was disappointing. OK, it happens to concede, but we've shown some good reactions to it since I've arrived.

"That was the biggest disappointment there."