Watford ended their pre-season tour of Austria with a 0-0 draw with Anzhi in sweltering conditions this afternoon.

Russian youngster Svyatoslav Georgiyevsky almost gave his native side a half-time lead but was denied by an excellent Hourelho Gomes stop, before Troy Deeney somehow turned Ikechi Anya's low cross beyond the post.

A rare highlight of a second half filled with changes came from Jerome Sinclair, who was left calling for a penalty five minutes after the break, but the humid conditions had the final say as the game fizzled out to end goalless.

The Hornets again lined up in the 3-5-2 shape they look increasingly likely to adopt come the Premier League opener with Southampton on August 13.

That allowed a first start in Watford yellow for Christian Kabasele, alongside Craig Cathcart and Miguel Britos in defence.

Georgiyevsky nearly put the visitors a goal ahead after 23 minutes, but a great recovery tackle from Ben Watson stopped him in his tracks.

Three minutes before the break, he went one closer, forcing an excellent save out of a back-tracking Gomes, before Deeney contrived to pull his effort wide at the other end.

Costel Pantilimon entered the fray for the first time this season at the break, but had little to do in a second half devoid of goalmouth action.

Soon after Sinclair's penalty appeal was denied, a great move from the Hornets ended with summer signing Abdoulaye Doucoure firing over from the edge of the box.

While clear-cut chances would not follow for either side, eight changes did from Walter Mazzarri, including the introduction of first-year scholar Brandon Mason for the final 15 minutes.

The Hornets will now return to England tomorrow ahead of their penultimate pre-season game at QPR next Saturday.

Watford: Gomes (Pantilimon 46); Kabasele (Prödl 61), Cathcart (Nyom 61), Britos (Rowan 82); Anya (Zuniga 65), Watson (Amrabat 61), Capoue, Doucoure (Mason 75), Holebas (Suarez 61); Deeney, Sinclair (Vydra 61).