WHILE ‘sorry seems to be the hardest word’ may have been apt for Yann Kermorgant at Leeds, it was very much a case of ‘I’m still standing’ for the Frenchman tonight.

Music lover Kermorgant could have been forgiven for consoling himself with a few Elton John ballads on the coach back from Elland Road after his late penalty miss had proved costly.

But the striker did not shirk his responsibility from the spot and, in a powder-keg atmosphere at Dean Court, paved the way for Cherries to go three points clear at the top.

See all of our pictures from the game here.

Awarded a penalty after Craig Cathcart had felled Callum Wilson, Kermorgant stepped forward to confidently despatch the ball past Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes from 12 yards.

Cherries never looked back after Kermorgant had netted his ninth goal of the season and Matt Ritchie’s second after 57 minutes confirmed their superiority over their promotion rivals.

However, the Hornets will point to a massive turning point as early as the first minutes when defender Gabriele Angella was controversially sent off for a foul on Wilson.

Kermorgant was drafted in as boss Eddie Howe made one change to the Cherries starting line-up from their last Championship outing at Leeds.

The Frenchman replaced Brett Pitman, while the Cherries team showed no fewer than seven changes from the FA Cup defeat at Aston Villa.

An explosive start saw Hornets defender Angella sent off for bringing down Cherries striker Wilson after just 30 seconds.

Angella, who had been erroneously dismissed when the teams met at Dean Court last season, received a straight red card from referee Lee Probert, much to the chagrin of the visitors.

And television replays showed the decision to be harsh, with Angella sent packing for denying Wilson a goalscoring opportunity when it appeared Cathcart would have been on hand to cover.

The free-kick, taken by Kermorgant, flicked off the top of the wall before Marc Pugh’s header from Simon Francis’s corner grazed the crossbar as Cherries made a fast start.

A sweeping counter-attack from the visitors, started by Troy Deeney’s powerful run, ended with Ikechi Anya’s driven, low cross flashing past Artur Boruc’s left-hand post.

Kermorgant climbed to meet a hanging cross from Francis, only to divert his header off target from close range, before Ritchie blazed wide from the edge of the box.

Watford had an escape midway through the first half when Kermorgant saw his rasping effort come crashing back off the crossbar.

The striker turned sharply and unleashed his shot from around 12 yards after being picked out by a Charlie Daniels cross, with Andrew Surman starting the move with a crisp pass to the left wing.

Ben Watson prodded a half-chance wide of the target following a frantic scramble before Cherries were awarded a penalty following Cathcart’s trip on Wilson. The visitors’ protests on this occasion were muted.

Having missed his last spot-kick in the closing stages against Leeds, Kermorgant made no mistake this time, drilling the ball confidently straight down the middle and past the despairing dive of Gomes who threw himself to his left.

Harry Arter followed Steve Cook into referee Probert’s notebook for a poor tackle on Gianni Munari before Wilson glanced a Francis centre just over the top.

Gomes, who had earlier flapped at and spilled a routine Francis cross, saved well after Arter had tried his luck with a fierce strike from 20 yards towards the end of an eventful opening period.

Ritchie went close to doubling Cherries’ lead when his piledriver from the edge of the box fizzed past the upright early in the second half.

And as Watford quickly countered, Daniel Tozser’s deflected strike was clutched by Cherries goalkeeper Boruc.

Ritchie fired home from a tight angle to make it 2-0 after 57 minutes, the goal owing much to Pugh’s trickery on the flank.

Pugh’s neat footwork ended with his delicate cross eluding the Hornets defence and falling for Ritchie who finished calmly with his unfavoured right foot.

Steve Cook’s crucial saving tackle stopped Deeney in his tracks after Cherries had squandered possession to Odion Ighalo who teed up his team-mate with a slide-rule pass.

As Cherries looked to turn the screw, Gomes was forced to beat away a stinging drive from Francis before the Brazilian goalkeeper excelled to push wide Kermorgant’s bullet header.

Francis’s low shot was saved by Gomes before Pugh was denied the goal his superb individual performance had deserved when the goalkeeper kept out his effort late on.

Cherries: Boruc, Francis, Cook, Elphick, Daniels, Ritchie (Smith, 87), Arter, Surman, Pugh, Wilson (Pitman, 90), Kermorgant (O’Kane, 77).

Unused subs: Stanislas, Fraser, Ward, Camp (g/k).

Booked: Cook, Arter, Elphick.

Hornets: Gomes, Cathcart, Hoban, Angella, Layun, Munari (Pudil, h-t), Tozser, Watson, Anya, Deeney (Mensah, 90), Ighalo (Vydra, 68).

Unused subs: Doyley, Savic, Byers, Bond (g/k).

Sent off: Angella.

Referee: Lee Probert (Bristol).

Attendance: 10,904 (including 1,391 away supporters).