AFTER a goalless first half, it was Tamas Priskin whose goal was the difference against Willem II at a sunny Vicarage Road.

Prior to kick off, as what was possibly the world's tiniest mascot trotted back to the safety of the stands, the road ahead of him could not have looked further for his diminutive frame to travel.

The same sentiments may well have been echoed by manager Aidy Boothroyd, stature aside, as the Championship season sprawls out in front of him.

Twenty-three teams and 46 matches stand in the way of promotion and the race begins one week from now.

So who better to face in the build up to the big kick off than the Dutch? Connoisseurs in football, Willem II were representatives of the great nation at Vicarage Road as Boothroyd once again had the opportunity to fine tune his men ahead of the game at Molineux next week.

The scorching weather failed to take the heat out of the opening as both sides launched early attacks. Kevin Bobson's fierce strike only failed to bother Mart Poom due to a deflection, had it been struck that much sweeter, then the Estonian could have had his work cut out.

Ibrahim Kargbo then saw his attempt fly wide of the post before Jens Janse failed miserably to open the scoring after Willem had pushed aside the Watford defence.

Rydell Poepon got the better of Jay DeMerit on the edge of the box and cut the ball back for Janse. With the goal at his mercy, he failed to even hit the target.

Watford's first attack came from Marlon King. Latching on to a through ball from Lee Williamson, King lashed his effort across the face of goal.

At the other end of the park, Demerit was showing no signs of rustiness, coolly heading back to Poom when under pressure from Bobson.

Danny Mathijssen then unleashed a venomous shot on goal, which narrowly flew over the crossbar. Poepon then followed suit with a similar outcome.

Steef Nieuwendaal almost put willem ahead just before the break when his low free kick cut along the ground, bypassed the wall and inched wide of Poom's upright.

Tamas Priskin was the first to work Kenneth Vermeer when he let fly in first half injury time and no doubt Boothroyd will have been requesting more of where that came from in the second half.

McNamee stole the first chance in the second half when he jinked his way into the box, but couldn't get his shot in and had to watch as it cannoned off his marker.

Bobson then forced a low save out of Poom and try as they might, neither side could find the back of the net.

In a bid to add a little creativity to the midfield, Jobi McAnuff was introduced to proceedings. The shake up seemed to work as Lee Williamson then went close, only narrowly missing the target

Watford were creeping every closer to opening the scoring, in fact, it couldn't have got much closer when McNamee's shot was cleared off the line by Thomas Baelum when a goal had looked an absolute certainty.

Finally, Priskin gave the Rookery something to cheer when he latched onto Lloyd Doyley's lofted ball and lifted it over the onrushing Vermeer.

With the ball bouncing once before it reached the back of the net, Priskin was already wheeling away in celebration.

Willem could offer up little after that and with the clock ticking down, Watford sent the home fans away looking forward to that long Championship trip ahead of them.

WATFORD (4-4-2): Poom; Doyley, Shittu, Demerit, Stewart; McNamee, Mahon (c), Williamson, Hoskins (McAnuff65), King, Priskin. Subs not used: Lee (gk), Jackson, Carlisle, Bangura, Mariappa.

WILLEM II (4-4-2): Vermeer; Swinkels, Mathijssen (Wilmet 78), Ven der Struijk, Kargbo; Janes, Bobson, Messoudi (Martha 89), Poepon (Reniers 60); Nieuwendaal (Imschoot 78), Baelum. Subs not used: Sengier, Valencia, Vorthoren, El Bahri.

BOOKINGS: WATFORD; none. WILLEM II; none.

SENDINGS-OFF: WATFORD; none. WILLEM II; none.

GOALS: WATFORD; Priskin 74. WILLEM II; none.

REFEREE: Mr Steve Tanner.

ATTENDANCE: 2,265

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