THERE were signs in the away games against Crystal Palace, Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Preston that it was possible.

Now, finally, Derby County have proved that they can win on the road.

And the 1-0 victory over Watford at Vicarage Road was no fluke. This was no smash-and-grab raid, Derby deserved their first away success of the season.

Watching the Rams on their travels, not only this season but for much of this year, has not been much fun as just four wins and four draws in 21 League trips suggests.

Their last away win before they beat Watford was a backs-to-wall defensive job against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on April 11.

But the manner in which Nigel Clough's improving side handled Watford was far more convincing.

This was a Watford team that had climbed to the edge of the play-offs on the back of impressive home displays. They had hit a dozen goals in four consecutive home wins before they invited Derby to play on what is a heavy playing surface, a pitch they share with rugby club Saracens.

Boosted by encouraging performances in the draws with West Bromwich Albion and Preston, Derby settled to their task. It was as though they sensed this was the day the away monkey would be lifted off their back.

Their football was sensible and based on percentages. Passes were played round corners, behind full-backs and down channels – areas that asked questions of Watford.

It was not particularly pretty in the first half. The ball was often in the air and play was punctuated by fouls and free kicks, no bad thing if you are the away side, especially one that has been struggling to find an away win.

The onus was on Watford to force the issue but they stuttered. Each misplaced pass – and there were many – drew groans of frustration from the home fans.

It was music to Derby's ears.

Short of four recognised central defenders, the Rams again turned to full-backs Jay McEveley and Paul Connolly as stand-in centre-halves. They were good at Preston a few days earlier and even better against Watford.

Their determination, their spirit, their desire did much to restrict Watford to few opportunities.

Derby went in without natural wingers, opting instead for a more solid-looking midfield four, in which central midfielders Robbie Savage and Stephen Pearson continued to make key contributions.

Paul Green and Lee Hendrie are not entirely comfortable in wider roles but they plugged away for the team. Needs must, especially in away games.

Up front, Paul Dickov and DJ Campbell took every opportunity to keep Watford's defenders on their toes.

In the opening 45 minutes, Hendrie saw an effort blocked before Campbell's pace allowed him to pounce on hesitancy between Jay DeMerit and John Harley to sting the hands of Scott Loach with a firm drive.

After the corner was half cleared, Hendrie's volley from the edge of the area was goal-bound until it struck Adrian Mariappa.

When Watford had a sight of goal, Stephen Bywater saved smartly from Heidar Helguson on the stroke of half-time and Tom Cleverley 20 minutes from the end, although the Rams goalkeeper was fortunate early on when he sliced a clearance straight to Danny Graham.

The striker, who failed to score during a loan spell at Derby in 2005-6, took aim from 40 yards out as Bywater hastily back-pedalled but the shot drifted wide.

There was a general feeling at the break that the game was there for the taking if Derby could find a goal.

Campbell lifted a shot over and Dean Moxey sent a tempting low centre fizzing across the face of goal.

Watford became increasingly desperate in their search for a goal and this played into the hands of Derby.

Savage, showing all his experience, sat and tidied up. This, in turn, allowed Pearson to collect possession and surge from midfield to set up counter attacks.

There were a few eyebrows raised when manager Nigel Clough changed the attack just after the hour.

Campbell was taken off, quickly followed by Dickov, but Clough was spot-on with his substitutions.

He put on Chris Porter and Steve Davies and it was good to see both back in first-team action after their injury problems.

"We knew the two lads up front wouldn't last because of all the effort they put in at Preston on the Tuesday," Clough explained.

"It had been DJ Campbell's first start for over six months and Paul Dickov is 37 so, having done so much work on Tuesday, we thought we would get an hour out of them and then we had Porter and Davies to come on."

The work of Campbell and Dickov had strangled Watford's hopes of playing out from the back. They had laid the foundation and passed the baton to Porter and Davies to finish the job.

The recipe for an away win is to soak up what the opponent has to offer, stay in the game as long as possible and seize the moment or moments when they arrive.

Derby seized their moment 13 minutes from time.

Hendrie played a good ball down the channel for the willing Porter to chase and he won a free kick when he was tripped by Mariappa.

Hendrie delivered into an area that invited team-mates to attack it, and Porter did. He showed strength and determination to head high past Loach at the far post – right in front of the Rams fans.

It was only Porter's second appearance since he sustained a hip injury in March and the winning goal meant he celebrated his 26th birthday in style.

Derby had subdued Watford and landed the knockout blow.

With greater care, they could have added a second, as Porter looked in the mood. His all-round play was very encouraging. The height of him and Davies gave Watford's defenders more to think about.

Another player who spent a loan spell at Derby, John Eustace, squandered a great chance to equalise when he lifted the ball narrowly over but few could deny Derby their win.

Watford boss Malky Mackay certainly didn't.

"Derby deserved to go away with the three points," he said.

The Rams are now unbeaten in four matches and have lost only once in the last six.