WATFORD looked a truly different team from the XI who lost seven days ago at The Hawthorns, as they entertained the home crowd to the standard that the Vicarage Road regulars have started to become accustomed to.

The Hornets did exactly what their boss had instructed this afternoon (Saturday) and they replied to their defeat last week with a fantastic victory back on home soil.

Heidar Helguson made his return from injury one to remember, celebrating his start with a goal in the ninth minute.

The loanee-dream team of Henri Lansbury and Tom Cleverley provided the Hornets with the second goal as the home team dominated the match.
 
Helguson returned to Malky Mackay's starting XI after stepping off the bench during the second half of last week's game at West Brom. He partnered Danny Graham in attack, with Cleverley and Don Cowie providing the width in midfield.

Helguson took the place of Jon Harley, who dropped down to the substitutes' bench.

Ross Jenkins was still missing for the Hornets with a back injury. Jonathan Bond again made the bench for Watford as Richard Lee was still absent from the team through injury.

Callum Davidson captained the visitors, while Jon Parkin and Neil Mellor led the team in attack.

Alan Irvine's side arrived at Vicarage Road after two consecutive draws at Deepdale.

Within the first few seconds of the game, Watford showed their visitors that they meant business, Helguson charging through the Preston defence on the left flank, crossing the ball perfectly to his strike partner Graham, who was very unlucky to miss the target as the ball went too high and over the bar.

With just three minutes gone, Preston replied with a shot on target from close range as Chris Sedgwick pushed the ball goalwards, but Hornets goalkeeper Scott Loach had the ball well covered.

Three minutes later, Cowie took the Golden Boys' first free kick after Graham went down just outside the area.

The Scotsman's curling ball found Craig Cathcart and the defender had the chance of a free header, but put it just wide.

The 'Orns were commanding the play as Lansbury dribbled through the Preston back four and passed to Graham to knock the ball towards the goal but Preston 'keeper Andy Lonergan had it covered.

1-0 to the 'Orns - Helguson the scorer

The pressure was turned to maximum on eight minutes, with the Golden Boys earning themselves a corner from the clearance and as Cowie sailed in a trademark corner, Iceland striker Helguson put the ball home thanks to a well-placed header.

The returning loan player ran towards the Rookery Stand as the home crowd cheered in delight.

With 16 minutes on the stopwatch, Cleverley slipped the ball to John Eustace and the midfielder had a great chance to put the Golden Boys two goals to the good, but Lonergan got his foot to the ball to clear it, leaving the Watford players with their heads in their hands.

The loanee in the right place at the right time

Helguson almost replicated the goal he had scored minutes earlier as he headed the ball towards the goal, but his shot was cleared, only for play to return to the penalty box with captain Adrian Mariappa and Cleverley both narrowly missing the target.

There could have been a straight red card for the Preston goalkeeper as Lonergan looked to handle the ball outside the area, coming out and fouling Lansbury at the same time.

But referee Mr Wright took no action, except for a free kick taken by Cowie that was struck straight into the Preston wall.

Lonergan had his work cut out, as on 25 minutes Lansbury stormed towards the goal, but the Preston goalkeeper was wide awake, palming the ball to what he thought was safety, only for it to be returned back in by Eustace, Mellor this time clearing the ball for Preston.

Helguson celebrates at Vicarage Road

On 29 minutes, Lloyd Doyley, still searching for his first goal for the Hornets, shot the ball into the box but Callum Davidson cleared the ball for the visitors.

He put it out for a corner, which didn't immediately come to anything, but resulted in a period of heightened pressure from the Hornets as they continued to push for a second goal. The 'Orns were on fire as the whole team worked fantastically in attack.

Lansbury incurred the first yellow card for the Golden Boys as he committed a foul on a Preston's Veliche Schumulikoski.

The new Watford dream team of Lansbury and Cleverley combined for the Hornets' second goal on 32 minutes.

Cleverley slots the ball home

The Arsenal youngster made a great run towards goal, weaving and dipping past the few Preston players that were there, he passed perfectly for Cleverley on the left and the Manchester United player did the rest by drilling the ball past Lonergan and into the back of the net.

At the other end, Loach made one of his only saves of the half so far, from a close range effort the England U21 goalkeeper palmed the ball away for Mariappa to clear.

The first half had been completely commanded by Watford as the home team dominated the game from the word go.

Cowie floated a deep cross towards the Watford attacking forces, but Helguson just took a second too long to shoot and the chance for a third goal for the home team disappeared.

On the stroke of half time, Watford's Helguson was the second Hornets player to be booked as he brought down Lonergan.

The midfielder celebrates the second goal

In the final minutes of the first half, Preston had their first real chance as former Stoke man Jon Parkin shot a low, powerful ball goalwards, but the ball skimmed past the goal, denying the away team their first goal of the match.

The teams returned to the dressing room, Watford to take a breath from all the action they had provided in the box and Preston to gather themselves after a confidence crushing first half for the visitors.

Preston came out of the dressing rooms a different team as they dominated play in the opening minutes. Several attempts on goal from the visitors came to nothing however, despite an uncharacteristic fumble of the ball by Loach.

The change of character from the northerners didn't rattle the Hertfordshire outfit however as Watford were awarded a free kick on 55 minutes after Cleverley was brought down by Billy Jones just outside the box.

Cowie took the kick for the home team but his confident curling ball didn't quite dip enough as it skimmed over the bar.

On 59 minutes, Helguson missed out on another headed goal as a great cross came in from Lansbury to meet the striker's head in the box, but the ball went inches wide of the left hand side post.

Cowie & Helguson celebrate the first

The home side piled on the pressure once more as Graham's crossed effort went slightly wide of the left post and seconds later Lansbury drilled the ball in straight at the goal, but the effort was cleared by Lonergan.

With 66 minutes gone, Cowie had another effort denied as his shot from just outside the penalty area cleared the Preston crossbar.

The scorer of the first goal of the afternoon, Helguson, received a standing ovation from the Watford fans as he left the pitch to be replaced by Nathan Ellington on 70 minutes.

A further substation two minutes later, saw the other goal scorer in the match, Manchester United youngster Cleverley leave the pitch to another loud roar from the crowd.

Harley entered the pitch as a replacement, the midfielder having lost his place in the starting line up to Helguson.

Cowie put a great corner in for Eustace to smash in, but the ball went into the side netting. Undeterred by this, the Hornets continued to attack with another Cowie corner awarded, and this time young defender Lee Hodson was the man on the other end of it, but his shot was saved by Lonergan.

The Scottish international then proceeded to weave through the Preston defence on 81 minutes, looking sure to score until he was brought down by Michael Hart a few yards from the penalty box.

A yellow card was shown to Hart, a free kick was given to the home side and Arsenal loanee Lansbury was the player to go for glory directly from the kick but it wasn't to be.

Liam Henderson came off the bench to replace Graham at the front of the Watford pack with just a few minutes remaining.

Ellington then turned with the ball to shoot at the target, but his effort was wide of the left post.

The Golden Boys were obviously not satisfied with their two-goal cushion and they battled right until the end of the game.

Substitute Henderson had a go at goal as he received the ball from Cowie and Ellington missed another opportunity to get on the score sheet when he couldn't quite hit the target.

Loach had to make a finger-tipped save for the Golden Boys in stoppage time as Parkin smashed a shot towards the goal, but the away side were denied the conciliation and Hornets were able to celebrate their second consecutive home win.

WATFORD: Loach, Hodson, Mariappa (c), Cathcart, Doyley; Cleverley (Harley 72), Eustace, Lansbury, Cowie; Helguson (Ellington 70), Graham (Henderson 81). Subs not used: Severin, Bennett, Bryan, Bond (gk).

PRESTON NORTH END: Lonergan; Hart, Collins, Davidson (c) (Parry 65), Chilvers; Sedgwick (Brown 72), Jones, Shumulikoski, Wallace; Mellor (Elliott 65), Parkin. Subs not used: Mawene, Carter, Henderson (gk), Nolan.

SCORERS: WATFORD; Helguson (9), Cleverley (33). PRESTON NORTH END; none.

BOOKINGS: WATFORD; Lansbury (31), Helguson (45+1). PRESTON NORTH END; Hart (81), Parkin (90 +1)

SENDINGS OFF: WATFORD; none, PRESTON; none.

ATTENDANCE: 13,524 (away: 686).