HAVING previously owned a cat named Darren Bazeley and a fish named Luther, it was with much concern that I discovered my new pet puppy (Marlon) was in fact a "lady dog" earlier this year.

It was of course fate that Marlon had to be renamed extremely early into her hairy little life, as having a hound named after a now ex-Watford legend could have been complicated. Especially after a game as hair pullingly frustrating as Saturday's encounter with Preston.

Yes, returning home after such an insanely one sided 0-0, would have surely been unfair on the dog if she had still been named after former hero Marlon King. "You would have put away, one of those 80,780 chances!" I would have undoubtedly screamed at the pooch's confused chops. I'd have then blamed her for moving to Wigan and probably cried a bit. Not cool.

But with the dog rechristened with a girly name, "frustration" about Saturday being "one of those games" had to be taken out on my Xbox instead of the hound. On Saturday night, I must have played an increasingly drunken virtual Watford v Preston twelve times before I got to the 5-0 score line that the Horns deserved.

Eventually, as a computerised Henderson coolly smacked in a hat-trick I felt justice was done. I'd avenged such an unjust score line - if only the Football League would credit it with a couple of extra points.

Now as the lads swan off to sunny Burnley (via the even sunnier Dubai) let's hope I won't be needing to shout at dogs or play on the Xbox again this season - neither my heart or the poor chap who sits next to me can take another game as unlucky as that.

What's more, let's hope I'll be naming a new pet after a new breed of Watford legend by the end of the season. Collins John the gerbil has a certain ring about it.

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT ON YOUR MOBILE