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Tommy Smith in action against Palace this afternoon.

Watford's chances of automatic promotion are hanging by a thread after they suffered a 2-0 defeat to play-off rivals Crystal Palace at Vicarage Road this afternoon.

The Hornets didn't deserve to fall behind to a goal from substitute Paul Ifill with 20 minutes remaining, but once they did the response was very disappointing and a second effort from Victor Moses soon after lifted the Eagles to within one point of the Hornets.

This was a markedly improved performance on the debacle against Barnsley in the Hornets' last home outing but a record of one win in 12 and three goals in the last six matches at Vicarage Road tells its own story.

Indeed, had Ipswich Town not equalised at Wolves to secure a 1-1 draw, Aidy Boothroyd and his men would have been looking very nervously over their shoulders because Mick McCarthy's men would have been four points adrift and with a game in hand. As it is, still look relatively safe for a shot at the end-of-season lottery despite their poor form.

Boothroyd chose to keep faith with the same starting XI that drew 1-1 at West Bromwich Albion last time out, while Neil Warnock made just the one change to the team that defeated Scunthorpe United 2-0, with Matt Lawrence replacing Danny Butterfield.

Watford sought to gain the early initiative against a Palace side playing a variation on 4-5-1, with Scott Sinclair and Moses providing the support for Clinton Morrison from out wide. And it was the home side that had the first attempt in the third minute, but John Eustace sliced his attempted 22-yard drive so much it didn't even go out of play.

The game then became fairly even until the eighth minute when the Hornets really should have gone in front. Tommy Smith did superbly well to wriggle away from a couple of challenges on the right side of the area and send over a fine cross which Jobi McAnuff, attacking the edge of the six-yard box from the opposite side of the area, glanced down and narrowly wide of the beaten Julian Speroni's left-hand upright.

The visitors had a good counter-attacking opportunity a couple of minutes later, with Moses leading the charge, but, with Sinclair and Morrison in good positions inside of him, the left-sided player held on to the ball for too long and Lloyd Doyley was able to get back and make a fine challenge. However, from Moses' resultant throw, Clint Hill found some space at the near post to clip the ball into the six-yard area and Morrison hooked the ball past Richard Lee, only to see a certain goal prevented by Jordan Stewart's fine positioning on the goalline.

The Eagles were forced into an early change in the 20th minute when Butterfield replaced the injured Lawrence, and soon after Jose Fonte picked up the game's first yellow card for clearly pulling back Tamas Priskin. From Stewart's resultant free-kick Darius Henderson headed wide of Speroni's right-hand post from ten yards.

However, the visitors were enjoying a good spell, only to almost fall behind in the 31st minute when a long Leigh Bromby throw was headed clear to McAnuff, who connected superbly with a right-footed volley from 12 yards, but saw it deflected behind by a full-length diving opponent. Following that set-piece Watford forced a second that McAnuff took and Henderson rose highest to head past Speroni, only to see the goal disallowed for pushing.

The temperature continued to rise three minutes later when Tom Soares went through McAnuff and was rightly booked, but the Hornets wide-man also saw yellow for his reaction. Shaun Derry then lashed a 25-yard effort over at the other end, before Priskin was released on the left side of the area and got free of his man, only to fire straight at Speroni.

The Hornets continued to up the ante as the interval approached and a minute into injury-time Butterfield became the third Palace player to be booked for illegally curtailing McAnuff's burst down the left.

Following the free-kick Watford forced their seventh corner of the half from which Bromby headed straight at Speroni. However, as the players broke back upfield for the resumption of play, the Palace keeper became involved with John-Joe O'Toole and the pair picked up bookings five and six of a goalless opening period.

Watford were straight back on the front foot after the resumption and it took an excellent interception from Ben Watson to prevent O'Toole from getting on the end of a Henderson flick.

Palace's first opening of the half came on 51 minutes when Morrison's square pass allowed Moses to run at the right side of the home defence, but after going outside Doyley the winger fired high and wide of Lee's right-hand post. Soon after Watson tried his luck from 25 yards, but the Hornets keeper was always right behind it.

But after 56 minutes though, the home side spurned another great opportunity to take the lead. Doyley was the creator with a fine run and cross down the right which picked out Henderson at the far post. He could only head back across the target to Priskin, who, having initially looked like he wouldn't get there, headed beyond Speroni only to see the ball rebound away off bar.

However, the Eagles responded, with Moses firing in an angled effort that was rewarded with his side's first corner of the match after 63 minutes. This was taken by Watson and Lee had to be alert to deal with the vicious in-swinger.

Warnock made his second change two minutes later, bringing on Ifill for Sinclair, and almost immediately the substitute got away from Dan Shittu on the right side of the area to send over a dangerous cross.

Another opportunity came and went for the Hornets in the 70th minute when a long Bromby free-kick was knocked back to Henderson to O'Toole. But the young Irishman had to rather dig the ball out and could only shoot straight at Speroni.

Within a minute Palace were in front. The home side failed to deal with a ball that was clipped back into the area on the right and Ifill cut inside Stewart before unleashing a left-footed half-volley that swerved away from Lee and crashed into the back of the net off the inside of his right-hand post to make it 1-0.

Boothroyd was readying Mat Sadler to come on before the goal anyway, but in light of going behind the decision to take off McAnuff and switch Stewart to the right side of midfield was interesting to say the least.

But four minutes later Watford's promotion hopes were looking even more fragile. Morrison found Moses in space on the left side of the area and he turned Doyley inside out before sliding the ball under Lee from the left side of the area to make it 2-0.

The Hornets responded with Shittu seeing a long-range effort blocked and then Henderson got on the end of a Stewart free-kick from the right, but could only loop the ball into Speroni's arms.

Priskin then had another effort deflected behind before the Palace keeper did well to punch away an in-swinging Stewart corner under intense pressure.

Warnock made his third and final change after 84 minutes, bringing on Carl Fletcher for Morrison, and then after a staggering eight minutes of waiting around with his coat on Nathan Ellington finally entered the fray with three minutes remaining at the expense of Stewart.

However, it then took an excellent tip over from Speroni to prevent O'Toole from pulling a goal back with a looping shot before Shittu became the third Hornet to be booked for a late challenge on the keeper.

But an Ellington free-kick into the wall, a follow-up from the striker into the same place and a header from the substitute over the top, that was it as Watford's promotion prospects were dealt another blow.

To rate the performances of the players against Crystal Palace, click here

Crystal Palace: Speroni; Lawrence (Butterfield, 20), Hudson, Fonte, Hill; Sinclair (Ifill, 65), Soares, Derry, Watson, Moses; Morrison (Fletcher, 84). Not used: Scannell and Hills.

Bookings: Fonte for a foul on Priskin after 22 mins; Soares for a foul on McAnuff after 34 mins; McAnuff for reacting to foul after 34 mins; Butterfield for a foul on McAnuff after 45 mins; O'Toole for confrontation with Speroni after 45 mins; Speroni for confrontation with O'Toole after 45 mins; Shittu for a foul on Speroni after 90 mins.

Attendance: 17,694.

Referee: Howard Webb.

5:15pm Saturday 19th April 2008

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