Watford ended their run of four straight Championship defeats as goals from Luca Kjerrumgaard and Jordan Zemura gave them victory over Charlton Athletic.

Danish striker Kjerrumgaard broke the deadlock in the second half and Zemura dinked in a late second to bring a bright end to a tough few days for the Hornets, who had conceded a total of nine goals in defeats by Burnley and Cardiff City.

The losing run, part of a sequence of six defeats in seven games, had increased pressure on head coach Alessio Dionisi, but his side improved greatly and were well worth their win.

Defeat means the Addicks, who were denied an equaliser by a superb Federico Ravaglia save when the score was 1-0, have now gone eight league games without a win, although they have drawn five of those.

Both sides had gone seven games without a victory, with the Addicks' winless run stretching back to August, so it was no surprise that finishing was short on quality at both ends.

Watford's approach play was bright and constructive but defender Krepin Diatta, on his first start, produced the best moment of the first half as he forced a flying save from Arthur Okonkwo in the Charlton goal.

Myron Boadu, Iker Bravo and Kjerrumgaard all missed great chances for the hosts, while, at the other end, Miles Leaburn headed well wide from another big opportunity to ensure the first half ended goalless.

Watford's Edo Kayembe took the game by the scruff of the neck in the second half and it was his driving run from halfway which led to the opening goal.

His deflected shot from the edge of the penalty area was parried by Okonkwo, with Kjerrumgaard ideally placed to control his volleyed finish.

Kayembe forced another fine save from Okonkwo and then blazed a further golden chance high and wide, before Ravaglia somehow thwarted Charlie Kelman's shot from a couple of yards out at the other end.

Watford secured the points - and potentially Dionisi's job, for now at least - deep in added time as Rocco Vata picked a perfect pass for Zemura, who expertly lifted his shot over the goalkeeper.

Watford head coach Alessio Dionisi told BBC Three Counties Radio:

"I'm very happy, because it wasn't easy today, and it wasn't easy this week.

"We believe in this team because we stay together and work together, but football is difficult when negative results arrive. Today the result is right.

"After 1-0, the mentality changed and we had a lot of positive situations."

On change to three at the back: "We needed to be aggressive in the middle. At the moment we have three midfielders ready [fit], so at the moment having another centre-back is best."

Charlton manager Nathan Jones told BBC Radio London:

"We've been a mile off. We probably had seven or eight who didn't come out with any real credit.

"We didn't pass the ball well, we didn't defend well, and had three clear-cut chances. It's always going to be important to take the first chance because of the predicament they [Watford] have been in.

"We had the best chances of the game in the first half, and then had another and didn't take them.

"Then we were really poor on transitional play. [The first goal] was a catastrophic goal from our point of view. Teams are not having to do a hell of a lot to score against us.

"We're not defending our box well enough, we're not doing the basics. We've broken the record at this club for clean sheets, and we're not looking like that now."