Victor Moses, Alan Lee and Darren Ambrose's goals see Watford lose 3-0 at Crystal Palace

4:59pm Saturday 28th November 2009

By Frank Smith

A below-par Watford lost for just the second time in seven matches as they were beaten 3-0 away to Crystal Palace.

The home side started with a bang as they went 2-0 up within six minutes through Victor Moses and Alan Lee.

Watford should have got back into the game on the stroke of half time when they were awarded a penalty but Danny Graham's effort was well saved by Julian Speroni.

The game was all but secured nine minutes after the restart when Darren Ambrose excellently found the top corner for his sixth goal in six games.

Moses had a shot saved in the first minute but the forward did open the scoring in the second. Lee flicks the ball on from a long ball by Julian Speroni and Moses beats Adrian Mariappa and Lee Hodson before slipping the ball past Scott Loach.

Palace doubled the lead four minutes later after they hit Watford on the break. Tom Cleverley had a shot blocked and then Neil Danns broke from midfield, Danny Butterfield was allowed to advance and pick out Lee at the back post and the striker beat Lee Hodson in the air to head past Loach.

Cleverley had a free kick go agonisingly wide of the post but the Hornets were on the back foot early on.

Watford were unable to made the best of their opportunities – a prime example being when a Cleverley break saw three-on-two but Cleverley's pass sent Henri Lansbury too wide and Graham's header was easily saved by Julian Speroni.

The Hornets should have gone in just one goal behind when Lansbury was brought down in the box by Lee on the stroke of half time but Graham's penalty was well saved by Speroni.

The game was all but put beyond Watford soon after the restart when Moses broke from his own half and passed to Ambrose on the edge of the area. He shifted the ball onto his right foot and fired his shot into the top corner on 54 minutes to make it 3-0.

Watford brought on Nathan Ellington to make it three up front but to little effect.

There were few chances in the second half, although Cleverley almost pulled one back in injury time but his 20 yard shot hit the post.

Crystal Palace: Speroni; Butterfield, Davis, Fonte, Hill; Derry; Danns, Ertl; Ambrose (N'Diaye 90+2), Lee, Moses (Smith 83).

Watford: Loach; Hodson, Mariappa, Cathcart, Doyley; Cleverley, Eustace, Lansbury, Harley (Ellington 61); Helguson (Henderson 85), Graham.