Norwich were shocked on their return to the Championship as unfancied Watford claimed a surprise win.
Graham double gives unfancied Hornets deserved victory
Norwich were handed a rude wake-up call on their return to the Championship as Danny Graham's double gave unfancied Watford a surprise win.
The Canaries crashed to a 7-1 home defeat by Colchester on the opening day of last season but were in buoyant mood having romped to the League One title in the second half of the season.
A youthful Watford side has been tipped for the drop but they made Norwich pay for another slow start, with captain John Eustace scoring the first goal of the new domestic season before Graham doubled the Hornets' lead in the 24th minute.
Andrew Crofts gave Norwich hope by pulling one back at the start of the second half, and Graham's second in the 81st minute proved crucial as Michael Nelson struck again for the hosts as the game moved into stoppage time.
Bumper crowd
Carrow Road was packed to the rafters as the Norwich fans hoped to see their side maintain their momentum from last season's title triumph but Watford were worthy winners.
Not only were they solid at the back, with Adrian Mariappa providing excellent support alongside the experienced Martin Taylor, they also impressed on the ball, with Graham scoring his first goal after linking superbly with young strike partner Marvin Sordell.
The pre-match talk was focused on Norwich, with manager Paul Lambert handing debuts to six new signings while captain Grant Holt was left on the bench as a thigh injury and a possible court appearance in Shropshire hampered his build-up.
Watford completed the signing of Troy Deeney from Walsall earlier in the day and was introduced late on by boss Malky Mackay, who spent six years as a player for the Canaries.
Eustace sent a long-range effort over early on before new Norwich striker Simeon Jackson saw a shot blocked.
The visitors were looking dangerous on the break and took a deserved lead through Eustace after Don Cowie took a short corner and lofted the return pass into the penalty area.
Eustace opener
Crofts misjudged his leap and Eustace had the presence of mind to chest the ball down before planting a low left-footed shot past John Ruddy.
Visiting keeper Scott Loach palmed away a curling free-kick by Andrew Surman and Graham doubled Watford's lead moments later.
Graham chested Lloyd Doyley's long ball to Sordell, whose return pass put Graham in behind Nelson and Graham fired past Ruddy from just inside the area.
Norwich were more cohesive after the break, with playmaker Wes Hoolahan recovering from a poor first half, and their best move saw Crofts pull one back in the 52nd minute.
Hoolahan slalomed his way past three players from the left before finding Jackson on the edge of the area and he rolled the ball behind him for Crofts to charge in from the right and fire past Loach inside the far post.
Mariappa had a great chance to seal victory when he headed wide after Ruddy spilled Will Buckley's cross.
Holt was then summoned from the bench with 20 minutes remaining but Mariappa was handed a reprieve when Graham struck his second.
Nelson and Russell Martin left space for Graham on the left and he was found by Stephen McGinn before cutting inside and hitting a low strike just inside the far post via a slight deflection off Elliott Ward's outstretched leg.
Nelson produced a neat finish late on from Crofts' cut-back but Watford had no more scares as time ticked out.
