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New Watford manager Alessio Dionisi hailed his side’s strength of spirit in their 2-1 victory over Southampton at Vicarage Road. First-half goals from new signing Iker Bravo and academy product Amin Nabizada coupled with a determination to fight for every ball throughout the match were the keys to Watford’s win. Cyle Larin brought hope to the visitors when he stabbed home just before the hour, but defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis spurned the chance to score a stoppage-time equaliser. Dionisi said: “I’m very happy, but very tired. Today was important because it was our first official match. “There were a lot of positive moments but at the end of the second half it was difficult for us without the ball. “I liked every moment. I saw the players inside the pitch working together with and without the ball as well as the ball. One team, one mentality. “It is important for everyone to stay inside the team every match with the same positive mentality. “The second half was important to work well out of possession. With the many very talented teams in this division, it won’t be easy for us. We played so-so with the ball in the second half. Dionisi admitted his first experience of a league match in England had lived up to his hopes. He added: “The atmosphere was fantastic from the start to the end because I didn’t know what it would be like. I have only watched English football from Italy until now. “It’s the first time that my family were here at a match so I am very happy.” Southampton manager Tonda Eckert blamed both Watford goals on individual errors, but refused to be drawn on the hostile atmosphere at Vicarage Road, which will surely be replicated at other Sky Bet Championship grounds because of the ‘Spygate’ affair that denied Southampton their play-off place. Eckert said: “We came here to take a result so we are very disappointed. Two errors in possession cost us against a very good transition team. That‘s the reality. We gave the ball away two times too many. “We didn’t have to change the way we were playing in the second half. We had to be a little bit cleaner on the ball. We kept pushing and I think that we deserved more in the end. “It’s always easier to say things after you win a game of football, but there is no doubt about the dedication of the players. The boys are as close as they have ever been and completely united as a group. “Obviously, communications are going on between the club and the FA in the background, but once you step onto the grass either for a training session or the sidelines, it is what it is, all of that disappears.”