Jarrod Bowen was the cat's whiskers as West Ham got lucky – and Kurt Zouma got the bird.
The Hammers were struggling to make headway against lowly Watford until Bowen's 11th goal of the season, midway through the second half, cruelly punctured the Hornets' resistance.
Bowen's 20-yard shot needed a wicked deflection off Watford defender Samir to break the deadlock, and if the relief around the Taxpayers Stadium was palpable, it was greeted by groans among animal lovers everywhere.
