Noel-Williams turned on a knock down by Ade Akinbiyi, following a cross from Carl Asaba, and hooked the ball beyond Richard Lee.
It was one of only two clear-cut chances Stoke enjoyed all afternoon – the other was when Lee came out of his goal to block from Akinbiyi after a fine run by full-back John Halls.
Watford asked most of the questions, but were unable to find the answers as Stoke sometimes boasted a nine-men defence on a frustrating afternoon.
City conceded 23 free-kicks and their cause was helped by weak refereeing from the Wakefield official Alan Kaye, who took over 60 minutes to reach for his notebook despite a number of cynical fails perpetrated by the visitors.
Watford dominated the second half but were unable to find a way through.
Their best chances had come earlier on, when Bruce Dyer came in on a cross from Lloyd Doyley but headed over and when Heidar Helguson failed in his attempt to force home another cross at the far post.
City keeper Steve Simonsen pulled off two good saves - the first when defender Clint Hill nodded goalwards in an attempt to clear a cross from the right.
Nearer towards the end, Jermaine Darlington raced through and forced Simonsen to go full length to push his shot wide.
Watford's American central defender Jay Demerit, bought in for the suspended defender Neil Cox, headed over from a corner after attacking the ball strongly and then later nodded the ball straight at Simonsen.
By the time of the whistle Stoke were hanging on but Watford lacked the guile to create genuine chances.