Boro snatched victory and kept up their unbeaten start to the npower Championship at the Riverside courtesy of a Scott McDonald strike that looked well offside.

The Australian was not complaining. It broke his 11-game goal drought and fired Boro back into third spot going into a two week international break.

"Was it offside?" asked Mowbray. "Maybe. Probably. But It doesn't matter.

"There are plenty of times when the flag goes up and it goes against you so we are happy to take it.

"But it was harsh on Watford because they probably will feel they deserved something from the game.

"It comes down to fine margins and that decision has gone against them but that's life, especially in this division.

"For us, I think we made hard work of it. They caused a lot of problems, especially from set-plays where they were a real threat at times so there is a bit of relief about it.

"But we have won back-to-back games now, and back-to-back games here at home too so we have got to be happy with that.

"It would have been a disappointing two weeks if we had conceded a late goal but as it is we go into the break in a good position and in good spirits and we can regroup ready to go again in a fortnight."

Watford boss Sean Dyche said the "obvious" offside had changed the game and despite the result insisted his side could take heart from their display.

"Of course we are disappointed with the decision," he said.

"It was obvious. It changed the feel and momentum of the game.

"I've got no problem with officials. I think they have a tough job and sometimes it is hard to get decisions right when there are a pack of players involved - but this was on his side, there was just the one and to me it was obvious.

"But you hope the decisions balance themselves out over a season and I'm not going to blame the referee.

"Sometimes it comes down to that moment of quality and that's what we are lacking at times.

"And Boro are a good team, a team of technicians and some of them were brought in for millions of pounds. We took them all the way and made life very uncomfortable for them and we can take heart from that."

Boro started brightly but after the goal fizzled out leaving Watford to try to force something from a string of corners and free-kicks.

Boro were almost ahead after 18 seconds as Barry Robson cut out a stray pass then wriggled into the box to drill a low shot just wide.

Then on two minutes Merouane Zemmama found McDonald in the box and his half-volley sent Scott Loach full length to save and soon after from a corner Marvin Emnes stabbed into the side netting.

Watford went close on 20 minutes as Chris Iwelumo cut into the box from the right to bring a good save from Jason Steele.

Then from the resulting corner Adrian Mariappa launched into a diving header that hit team-mate Marvin Sordell.

Boro broke the deadlock on 41 minutes as Robson pushed the ball into the box for McDonald to burst from an offside position and when Loach blocked his first shot he reacted well to steer the rebound home.

Watford threatened after the break with a barrage of corners and from one on 57 minutes Carl Dickinson had an effort blocked on the line.

In a late flurry Boro brought saves out of Loach as first Emnes then Tony McMahon had good efforts.