Watford emphatically progressed to the second round of the Carabao Cup with a resounding 5-0 victory over League Two outfit MK Dons at Vicarage Road. Tom Ince starred for the Hornets, netting a hat-trick in a performance that showcased his considerable attacking prowess.
The Championship side dominated proceedings from the outset, and Mattie Pollock opened the scoring with a looping header early on. Ince doubled the lead in first-half stoppage time, capitalising on a well-timed pass from Ryan Andrews to slot the ball home at the far post.
MK Dons briefly threatened a comeback in the second half but were ultimately unable to breach the Watford defence. The Hornets extended their advantage through a debut goal from Kwadwo Baah, who expertly finished a well-worked move involving Yasser Larouci.
Ince then sealed his hat-trick in devastating fashion, scoring twice in the space of five minutes. First, he controlled the ball before firing a low shot past the goalkeeper, and then he followed up a rebound to secure his third goal of the evening.
The victory showcased Watford's attacking threat under manager Tom Cleverley, who was also able to hand debuts to Republic of Ireland Under-21 international Roco Vata and goalkeeper Jonathan Bond, returning to the club following a spell with LA Galaxy.
For MK Dons, the defeat provides a sobering reminder of the gulf in quality between the two divisions. They will now turn their attention to their League Two campaign, hoping to bounce back from this heavy loss.
Watford will be hoping to build on their impressive start to the season, which has seen them secure a win in their opening Championship fixture against Millwall, and will now be looking forward to the second-round draw in the Carabao Cup.
