WATFORD clawed their way back to the top of the heap on Saturday with a victory that was probably their luckiest since they left Grimsby shaking their heads in wonder back in October.

Brentford were left to muse on the ill-fortune that usually dogs the struggling in such contests, although they needed to look no further than their own profligate finishing.

The irony is that the Hornets moved nearer promotion, pushed third place 17 points away and regained the leadership with a display that really was little more than a shambles.

We travelled to Brentford hoping for confirmation that "the wobble" is over, that the patient has recovered and is accelerating towards good health but, instead, we witnessed the appearance of even more disturbing symptoms.

Defensively Watford had a nightmare with Page and, to a slightly lesser degree, Millen playing as if they had never met. Watford's defence had to rely heavily on Kevin Miller last time they visited Griffin Park and so avoided a rout.

I wrote after that debacle that the absent Millen was missed but this time round, against Robert Taylor and company, the Hornets again came close to being routed.

They were, in fact, run ragged and finished relieved and somewhat embarrassed victors, although doubtless they found the embarrassment easier to cope with than the Brentford attack.

Not that Chamberlain had that much to do of an exceptional nature, despite the fact Brentford conjured 10 on-target attempts. But even the keeper got in on the act, a touch of "flapability" showing as he cleared straight to a Brentford player and had to dive to ensure the resultant shot went wide.

The midfield, despite the drafting in of Palmer for the first half, was constantly overrun or by-passed and the service to the front line was abysmal, consisting of overhit and hopeful passes. Whatever changes Watford made before or during the game, the result was a formless, aimless performance, heavy on hard work and light on cohesion.

With Hogg more than a match for Lee in the air, Watford gained little change when they lofted the ball forward with a semblance of accuracy.

But, with Brentford often enjoying the freedom of Watford's half, it was little surprise that the Hornets were unable to move their attack into gear and even more remarkable when they strung together a cogent move worthy of the goal, which was to prove the unlikely winner.

Having watched the Hornets struggling, and often manfully so, around the wrong end of the table for much of the last decade, you had to sympathise with Brentford's ill-fortune.

They had the greater possession, made more than twice Watford's tally of goal attempts, enjoyed more clear-cut chances and if they had them again, would probably have romped out comfortable winners.

Their misses were extraordinary in that they never once really extended Chamberlain.

Yet earlier it had looked as if Watford were going to build on their success over Preston and affirm their return to the form that has won them such a margin at the top of the table.

A goal ahead after six minutes, I expected them to rebut a Brentford revival and go on to hit a second so totally deflating a side that cannot be too high on confidence.

The vision of such a scenario wilted before our eyes as Chamberlain had to save to Taylor and Cockerill and the defence became increasingly turned.

While there was a touch of the fortuitous about Brentford's goal, one must also allow the home fans the point that Johnson's mis-hit shot, which had led to Watford's opener, was no less unintentional.

Still Chamberlain had to move smartly to a toe-poke following a well-struck corner and then had to save from a rebound off Page.

Rapley, breaking through, had a good angled chance after Page again slipped and fell, but Chamberlain was equal to it.

The interval arrived with the hope that Watford would regroup and reassert after the break but if anything they were even worse.

Nevertheless, they had a good chance when Kennedy broke on a Mooney pass, headed the ball down and, as the keeper came out, lifted the ball over him but wide.

Chamberlain continued to be tested if not stretched by the likes of Taylor and then Rapley, who again should have scored when moving onto a headed pass.

Robinson, typifying the errors made by more experienced colleagues, underhit a back-pass and Watford were again fortunate to escape.

Gibbs appeared to clear off the line from Bates; Taylor headed straight into the keeper's hands and there was another attack when an almighty scramble ended with a clearance from near the Watford line.

It was at this juncture that Watford suddenly produced a lucid movement, actually strung three or more passes together and regained the lead.

Johnson, whose shooting has been somewhat disappointing in recent months, did extremely well with this one.

Watford, it must then be said, started to play with some authority but even then Mooney gave the ball away and Rapley again failed to find the target.

The Hornets threatened another goal when Hyde burst through but failed to shoot and it was left to Millen, with an amazing piece of athleticism, to prevent what must surely have been a certain Brentford equaliser with a diving header over his own bar in the last minute.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.