Spanish Cup holders Real Zaragoza showed just why they humbled Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey in March behind a classy first half performance full of flair.

The Hornets came right back into the contest after the break and pulled a goal back with a mesmerising 35-yard strike from Ashley Young to set up a tight finish in a good workout for Ray Lewington's side.

In the two hours leading up to the game the game was clouded - literally - in doubt as thunder and lightning moved into the area and a downpour fell on the newly-laid Vicarage Road playing surface.

Thankfully, it eased up an hour before kickoff to enable the game to go ahead after an inspection from Premiership referee Dermot Gallagher.

The lively Real strike force sounded a clear warning of their class early on when last season's 17-goal top scorer David Villa tried an audacious 40-yard lob after only seven minutes.

The Hornets took a while to compose themselves, feeling their way into the game against the opponents the like of which they're unlikely to face in the Championship season ahead. The useful fitness work-out began for them in earnest on the 10-minute mark when, after a foul on Heidar Helguson, Ashley Young's free-kick drifted just too high for both Bruce Dyer and Sean Dyche at the far post.

One of many flowing Zaragoza passing movements began shortly afterwards, ending with former Real Madrid Champions League winner Savio to side-foot wide after good set-up work from Villa and Ruben Gracia.

Moments later, Northwood trialist Jay Demerit prevented a certain goal when sliding across the near post to deny a certain goal from Luciano Galletti's low cut-back.

Two goals in the space of two minutes just ahead of the 20-minute mark put Real well clear in a contest staged on a perfectly re-laid pitch in humid summer conditions. First Paul Mayo's air-shot allowed Galletti to home in on goal and his shot had enough on it to slip under Alec Chamberlain's grasp and dribble over the line.

The second goal was a particularly well-worked affair with another trademark series of passes ending with a cross from the right expertly headed inside Chamberlain's left-hand post by livewire right-winger Galletti.

Heidar Helguson then registered the Hornets' first strike on target, forcing Garcia to make a comfortable save from the edge of the box.

On 39 minutes a cross from the right was deflected towards the near post and the wrong-footed Chamberlain made a fine left-handed stop and Dyche scrambled the loose ball clear.

A minute before the break Bruce Dyer thought he'd pulled one back, converting a Mayo driven cross from six yards but the lineman's flag for offside ruled it out.

Halftime sub Richard Lee made a magnificent one-handed save low to his right to keep out a Villa effort out shortly after Hameur Bouazza blasted over the bar from 18 yards to keep the Hornets in the contest.

However five minutes later Young found his range - this time from much further out with a stunning strike to make it 2-1. He picked up the ball just inside his own half, advanced and hit a screaming 35-yarder that dipped over Luis Garcia in the Zaragoza goal and just under the bar.

The Spaniards were, as expected, showing some refined touches on the ball, but it was the Hornets who were more threatening, showing a greater determination in front of their own fans with the Coca-Cola kickoff at Preston just days away on Saturday.

Oscar Gonzalez broke clear down the right flank and had a shooting opportunity after 73 minutes, but lost the ball when he tried to be too cute with a drag-back as he homed in on Lee and David Generelo had Lee scrambling back as an outrageous Nayim-style lob from near the halfway line nearly caught him out.

Bouazza almost grabbed an opportunist equaliser with five minutes left when he very nearly caught sub keeper Jorge Zaparain in possession with a sliding tackle, but the stopper just stepped away from his lunge and seconds later Demerit narrowly failed to connect with a diving far post header from Ferrell's deep cross.

Bouazza then went close again, but narrowly missed applying the final touch to another Ferrell inswinging corner in the final action of the game.

Watford: Chamberlain (Lee ht), Smith, Demerit, Dyche (Mahon ht), Mayo (Fitzgerald 67), Gunnarsson (Hand ht), Young (Herd 67), Blizzard, Dyer (Webber ht), Devlin (Ferrell ht), Helguson (Bouazza ht).

Zaragoza: Garcia (Zaparain 70), Aranzabal (Milito 60), Da Luis, Galletti (Gonzalez 60), Gracia, Villa (Generelo 64), Bortolini (Granero 60), Toledo, Ponzio, Zapater, Soriano (Drulic 64).

Att: 3,953