Nigeria forward Odion Ighalo was the star as promoted Watford heaped more misery on misfiring Newcastle United with a 2-1 win at St James' Park on Saturday.

Ighalo scored a brace as Steve McClaren's miserable winless start to life as Newcastle manager stretched to six league games -- although they did beat fourth tier Northampton in the League Cup.

While the Magpies finally managed only their third league goal of the season, and thus ended a scoreless run that was closing in on 500 minutes, Ighalo, who has also played in Spain and Italy, was on fire.

He opened the scoring on 10 minutes with a rasping low shot into the corner after some neat passing from the visitors around Newcastle's box.

Watford resorted to route one for their second goal as a long ball from the back was helped on by Troy Deeney before Ighalo finished with aplomb on 28 minutes.

It was the 26-year-old's fourth goal already this season and 20th in his last 24 matches.

Newcastle got a lifeline on 62 minutes as Daryl Janmaat played a one-two with Moussa Sissoko before sliding home the ball from close range.

It was Newcastle's first goal in almost 500 minutes of action in the Premier League but it would prove little consolation.

Janmaat almost had a second but Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes clawed his 25-yard effort away from the top corner.

Newcastle were all over Watford at this juncture but Siem de Jong, a second half substitute for Papiss Cisse, missed two chances.

The result left Watford comfortably in mid-table but condemned Newcastle to bottom spot, alongside north-east rivals Sunderland, while the pressure on former England boss McClaren is sure to mount.