VICARAGE ROAD will play host to Premiership football next season after Watford clinched their place among the big boys with a stunning 3-0 win over Leeds United in the Championship Play-off Final in Cardiff.

In front of nearly 27,000 delirious Hornets' fans, goals from Jay DeMerit, James Chambers, although it was later credited as a Neil Sullivan own goal, and a penalty from the outstanding Darius Henderson embellished a magnificent team performance and secured a return to the top flight of English football after a six-year absence.

The memorable victory, which was never in any doubt, completed an astonishing fairytale for the Hornets under the astute guidance of Adrian Boothroyd. After avoiding the drop by just two points last season and among the favourites for relegation this year, Watford will now be rubbing shoulders with the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal next season.

Following the success of a five-man midfield against Crystal Palace, Boothroyd reverted to a 4-4-2 which meantHenderson returned at the expense of Al Bangura. There was a boost on the bench, with Hameur Bouazza recovering from his fractured metatarsal in time to add Watford's striking options, but this meant Anthony McNamee missed out on the 16.

Kevin Blackwell was always going to be forced into a change following Stephen Crainey's sending-off at Preston and, as expected, captain Paul Butler returned at centre-half with Matthew Kilgallon switching to left-back. Interestingly though, the Leeds boss opted to stick with a five-man midfield.

Watford were on the front foot from the first whistle thanks to huge clearance from Ben Foster and they almost made the dream start. A teasing inswinging corner from Ashley Young looked bound for Henderson but Butler dived full length to deflect the ball over for another corner. Jordan Stewart picked out Malky Mackay at the far post but the veteran defender could not get sufficient power on his header and Sullivan watched the ball go harmlessly over.

The Hornets suffered a real scare on eight minutes though. Foster was unconvincing in attempting to punch clear a long throw from Kilgallon and Shaun Derry's shot from 18 yards look goal bound until it took a crucial deflection off Lloyd Doyley and rolled agonisingly wide.

It took Watford 13 minutes to get Marlon King into the game but his opening contribution resulted in Watford's first shot at goal. Young flicked a raking pass from MacKay into King's path and then collected a clever return pass before firing wide of the target under pressure.

Rob Hulse did the same with an effort on 20 minutes after a smart pass from Liam Miller had given him a sight of goal.

It was Watford who took the lead though, on 25 minutes. A magnificent inswinging corner from Young was met by DeMerit who lost his marker to crash an unstoppable header past Sullivan from six yards out.

Henderson was sent off the last time he played against Leeds, so there was a touch of irony when the strapping forward was on the receiving end of a robust challenge from Sean Gregan that earned the Leeds captain the first caution of the afternoon just before the half-hour mark.

Matt Spring, the former Leeds man, followed him into the book four minutes later after his late tackle stopped a burst down the left from Jonathan Douglas.

Miller then became the third player to be booked in the space of seven minutes after aiming a hack at Young.

Leeds were receiving very little change out of a well-drilled Watford defence and the closest they came to troubling Foster's goal was when Gregan headed wide from a Gary Kelly cross and then Derry shot wide from distance.

There were a few hearts in mouths though, when Foster spilled a Kelly free-kick under pressure from Hulse, but referee Mike Dean blew for a foul on the Watford keeper.

Eddie Lewis then sent a free-kick from distance over Foster's bar in the third minute of first-half injury time.

After seeing his side largely outplayed in the first period, Blackwell brought on Robbie Blake for Frazer Richardson at half-time and switched to a more conventional 4-4-2. Blake had fond memories of his last appearance against the Hornets as he scored twice to help Leeds recover from 1-0 down to win 2-1 at Elland Road in February.

But Watford continued to look the more threatening of the two sides and Sullivan was called into action when he tipped over a rising left-footed drive from the outstanding Henderson.

The second goal Watford needed to settle any nerves arrived on 56 minutes. A long throw from Gavin Mahon found its way to Chambers. The midfielder turned inside Lewis and saw his weak left-foot drive deflect off the American and bounce in-off the right-hand post, sending the yellow-clad fans behind the goal into raptures.

In a last throw of the dice, Blackwell threw on David Healy as the third striker and the Northern Ireland international took just two minutes to test Foster with a snap shot. Gregan then held his head in his hands after sending a header from a Lewis free-kick over the crossbar when well placed.

The feeling that it was going to be Watford's day gathered further credence on 68 minutes when Chambers cleared a header from Derry off his own goal-line.

Watford looked menacing on the counter-attack throughout and after failing to take advantage of a five-on-two situation, Spring forced a smart near-post save from Sullivan after being played in by King.

Watford's leading scorer then flashed a free-kick from 20 yards out just wide of Sullivan's right-hand post.

The Hornets' set-piece play was a particular feature of their play and it was from a dead-ball situation that required Lewis to clear a header from Mackay off the line.

However, the icing on the cake came on 82 minutes. Derry brought King down in the penalty area after some neat inter-play with Spring, leaving Henderson to fittingly thump home the penalty into the bottom right-hand corner to secure the Hornets multi-million pound passport into the Premier League.

Leeds United: Sullivan; Kelly, Gregan, Butler, Kilgallon; Richardson, Miller, Derry, Douglas, Lewis; Hulse. Substitutes: Blake for Richardson after 45 mins; Healy for Miller after 61 mins; Bakke for Gregan after 82 mins. Stone and Bennett not used.

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

Bookings: Gregan for a foul on Henderson after 29 mins; Spring for a foul on Douglas after 33 mins; Miller for a foul on Young after 36 mins; Doyley for time-wasting after 50 mins; Derry for a foul on Henderson after 79 mins; Mahon for delaying a free-kick after 83 mins.

Attendance: 64,736 Referee: Mike Dean (The Wirral, Merseyside).