Watford manager Alessio Dionisi has struck a measured tone after his side lost 1-0 away at West Bromwich Albion in the Championship, suggesting that the scoreline did not fully reflect the balance of play across the 90 minutes.

Dionisi's honest assessment

"A draw was a fair result," Dionisi said after the full-time whistle at The Hawthorns, according to BBC Three Counties Radio. The Italian head coach, who arrived at Vicarage Road this summer, has shown a willingness to speak plainly about his team's performances, and this reaction was no different.

That candour will only stretch so far as comfort, however. A defeat is a defeat, and Watford return to Hertfordshire with nothing from the trip. For a club that has set its sights on being competitive in the second tier this season, dropping points on the road to a direct rival in West Brom will sting.

What the result means for Watford

Watford came into this fixture off the back of a busy summer, with Dionisi himself reacting positively to three deadline-day arrivals as the club attempted to strengthen its squad. The expectation, at least in the early weeks of the campaign, is that the new additions will need time to bed in. A narrow defeat at a ground as difficult as The Hawthorns is not a catastrophe, but it does underline how fine the margins are at this level.

The Hornets have historically been a club that oscillates between the Championship and the Premier League, and the infrastructure that comes with parachute payments and prior top-flight revenues can cut both ways. The expectation from supporters and the board alike will be that this squad is capable of competing for the upper half of the table, not merely surviving. A 1-0 away loss does not define a season, but the manner in which Watford respond to it will say a good deal about where they are headed.

West Brom grind out another win

For West Brom, the result continues what has looked, at least in patches, like a purposeful start to the campaign. Earlier this week, defender Michael Morrison acknowledged that his side had needed to "win ugly" against Watford, which suggests the Baggies are under no illusions about the nature of their victory. A clean sheet and three points, however they come, are currency in the second tier.

Manager Carlos Corberan has spoken openly about the importance of defensive solidity as the club targets a return to the top flight. Saturday's result fits that blueprint neatly, even if the performance left room for debate.

The bigger picture

Both clubs sit in a Championship table that remains volatile this early in the season. West Brom's victory moves them in the right direction, while Watford's defeat is a prompt for Dionisi to reflect on what his side needs to sharpen, particularly in away fixtures where the margin for error is smallest.

Dionisi's assessment that a draw would have been fair is, in one reading, a diplomatic way of saying his team did enough to deserve something from the game. In another, it is an honest acknowledgement that West Brom deserved their win as much as Watford deserved to avoid losing it. Either way, Watford will need results as well as even-handed analysis if they are to make the kind of statement this season that the club's ambitions demand.

The next few fixtures will be revealing. For now, the Hornets go away from The Hawthorns empty-handed and with Dionisi's words ringing in the ears of those who believe this squad has more to offer.

Frequently asked

What was the result between West Brom and Watford?
West Brom beat Watford 1-0 at The Hawthorns in the Championship.
What did Alessio Dionisi say after the West Brom defeat?
Watford head coach Alessio Dionisi said he felt a draw would have been a fair result, suggesting the match was more even than the scoreline indicated.
How are Watford performing in the Championship this season?
Watford had an active summer transfer window under Dionisi, including three deadline-day signings, but the 1-0 defeat at West Brom shows the squad still has work to do in away fixtures.