WATFORD moved up to third in the Coca-Cola Championship at Vicarage Road this afternoon after defeating Crewe Alexandra 4-1 to record their biggest win of the season.

Matthew Spring continued his goalscoring spree with two first-half strikes before Marlon King and Ashley Young completed a comfortable afternoon's work.

Despite the nature of Watford's dramatic victory at Norwich, Adrian Boothroyd again chose to change a winning team, although one of his two adjustments was enforced. A late injury to Ben Foster meant Alec Chamberlain made his first league start of the season and left the Hornets without goalkeeping cover on the bench, while Young, following the completion of his three-match ban, came straight back into the starting line-up at the expense of Anthony McNamee. However, Clarke Carlisle again had to be content with a place alongside McNamee on the substitutes' bench.

Following their 2-1 reverse at home to Plymouth, Crewe showed just the one, enforced change, with Stephen Foster replacing the injured Adie Moses.

Despite their lowly league placing, Crewe actually started fairly brightly without troubling the Watford rearguard; Chamberlain comfortably collecting a deflected Kenny Lunt cross.

Watford were slow to get out of their blocks and Darius Henderson headed a Gavin Mahon cross well over on ten minutes before Eagles screwed an ambitious effort 25 yards out.

But Watford had a massive let-off on 14 minutes. Lunt slipped the ball over the top down the left-hand channel to set up Steve Jones, who raced in on goal, cut back across Jordan Stewart and beat Chamberlain with a low drive. But Spring had raced back and managed to clear the ball from two yards out, against his own crossbar and away from danger.

And Spring then completed an amazing double three minutes later to give Watford the lead. Young won a tackle in midfield and the ball was played inside to Spring who drove low past Ross Turnbull to the keeper's right from just under 30 yards to give the Hornets the lead.

Looking to capitalise on the goal, Watford continued to apply the pressure and Young just failed to pick out Darius Henderson with a cross to the back post after being played down the left by Gavin Mahon.

Spring then doubled the lead on 25 minutes with his eighth league goal of the season. Eagles picked the ball up from Chamberlain in his own half and played in the former Luton man. Spring pushed on and tried his luck from 25 yards but he was block-tackled. However, the ball fell kindly to Henderson, free in the box 15 yards out but his shot was superbly saved by Turnbull. The rebound reached Doyley on the edge of the area and he totally fluffed his kick into the path of Spring who shot low from just inside the area underneath Turnbull, who had already committed himself by diving for Doyley's attempt.

After a neat interchange with Young and Spring, King shot over as Watford finished the half in total control.

Half-time: Watford 2 Crewe 0.

Crewe changed goalkeepers at the start of the second-half in a bid to change their fortunes, although Turnbull did not appear injured.

But Watford continued to dominate and Henderson just failed to reach an Eagles cross at the far post before the former Gills striker tested Stuart Tomlinson from 20 yards although the replacement keeper comfortably gathered.

And there were no surprises when King made it 3-0 on 56 minutes. Eagles flicked a long ball on into the path of King. The former Forest striker showed great strength to hold off Stephen Foster and then make his way to the edge of the penalty box, to the right of centre, and drag a powerful shot low across Tomlinson and in off the far post.

Five minutes later it was 4-0 when Young marked his return with a goal. Chamberlain showed great awareness to launch an early ball forward, which may have been flicked by King into the path of Eagles wide on the right. The young winger showed good composure to reach the by-line, look up and pick up Young with a low cross, and he flicked home from four yards out.

King was withdrawn on 65 minutes, with Sheffield United in mind, but still Watford continued to threaten more goals and Hameur Bouazza's powerful low drive across goal from the left-hand side was pushed away well by Tomlinson.

Bouazza then grazed the keeper's left-hand post with another driven shot across goal and Lunt then blocked a Young corner off the line before clearing DeMerit's follow-up header from just in front of his own goal.

Tomlinson the mis-kicked a back pass but reacted well to block Young's shot after the Watford striker had pounced on the mistake.

James Chambers replaced Eagled with 15 minutes to go and almost made a spectacular entrance, volleying Young's flighted cross just above the bar.

But Crewe did pull back a consolation ten minutes from time. Billy Jones managed to keep an over-hat cross in play down the right-hand side and hook the ball back across goal for Luke Rodgers to beat Chamberlain with his first touch since coming on as a substitute.

Watford: Chamberlain; Doyley, DeMerit, Mackay, Stewart; Eagles, Spring, Mahon, Young; King, Henderson. Substitutes: Bouazza for Henderson after 54 mins; Bangura for King after 65 mins; Chambers for Eagles after 73 mins. Carlisle and McNamee not used.

Crewe Alexandra: Turnbull; Otsemobor, Foster, Walker, Moss; Roberts, B. Jones, Lunt, Vaughan; S. Jones, Taylor. Substitutes: Tomlinson for Turnbull after 45 mins; Varney for Taylor after 76 mins; Rodgers for Roberts after 79 mins. Cochrane, McGready not used.

Bookings: None.

Attendance: 11,722 (216 Crewe).

Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicester).