THE Hornets' pre-season Reserve matches continued to provide a platform for trialists to take their chance to shine - this time in the searing heat on Aylesbury United's perfectly prepared pitch amid a polished performance and a 5-1 victory over the Southern League Premier Division outfit.

During the first quarter of the game, Watford's usual high-tempo approach to proceedings was coupled with some neat passing interchanges and creation down the flanks. Then, almost without warning, Nigel Gibbs' mix of young pro's, Academy scholars and trialists showed some clinical skills in the final third to race into a 3-0 interval advantage.

Jamie Hand supplied a well-weighted cross that trialist striker Omari Coleman could only head straight above Ducks' keeper Andy Partlow after 15 minutes. Then Coleman supplied fellow trialist forward Dean McDonald with a slick through-pass but Partlow blocked the diminutive striker's effort low to his left.

Hand sent a free header from a corner over before Academy second-year Toumani Diagouraga - alongside Hand in central midfield - showed why he could well make the grade with two superb pieces of vision, the second of which a lobbed pass to supply McDonald who was again denied, this time by a combination of keeper and covering defender.

Anthony McNamee - sporting an afro hairdo which seems to rise day on day - gave notice of a glut of goals seven minutes before the rush arrived with a far post header from a Daryl McMahon cross that Partlow gathered acrobatically. On 32 minutes, Hand picked the pint-sized winger out with a raking cross-field pass but thereafter a superb solo run and deflected shot broke the deadlock.

Three minutes later, Diagouraga's defence-splitting pass helped make it two. He put Coleman in the clear and the Dulwich Hamlet man shot with deadly accuracy into the far corner past Partlow. Shortly afterwards, McNamee forced Partlow into more smart work, tipping a rasping 20-yarder round his left-hand upright.

And it was three for Watford minutes later when McMahon made the most of a short corner to cut inside and beat Partlow - who smothered bravely from McDonald before half-time - all ends up with a sweetly-struck shot from just outside the box.

Goals four and five against a somewhat demoralized Aylesbury side came within the first 15 minutes of the second half. Jay Demerit took time out from impressing at centre-half to venture forward and supply McDonald with a simple far post header. Then a short corner involving McMahon ended with McNamee's cross being converted by sub trialist Jeff Goulding.

The action slowed towards full-time as the heat - and the mandatory rake of substitutions - kicked in. But there was still time for Lee to make a great save (his first of the match) from Edgeworth and for the Ducks to net a consolation penalty through captain Paul Lamb after sub Ryan Gilligan had handled.

Of the trialists, defender Jay Demerit turned in a commanding display alongside skipper Dominic Blizzard but, as always, the lack of quality in the opposition can quite often give a misleading impression.

Boss Nigel Gibbs was pleased with his team's afternoon's work. "I thought we were dominant and played very well, particularly for the first hour of the match," he said.

"It was hot today but we didn't let that affect the way we approached our work. Despite the fact we had quite a few trialists playing again, it was a decent performance and, again there were some good goals scored.

"It's nice to see us scoring but we will have to be a little bit tighter at the back when the Reserve League season starts. We were a little bit loose at times but it was nothing too crucial and things we'll have ironed out in a week's time."

Gibbsy's assessment of the trialists was positive: "Jay at the back impressed me again. He looked solid, is very aggressive and did his job effectively. He's certainly worth another look as far as we're concerned.

"Omari looked lively again and young Dean, who's been knocking a few goals in for the Academy side, was bright and enthusiastic. Four of the five goals were scored by trialists and that's good for their confidence. Overall, it was a decent work-out."

Check out the Reserves' fixtures for 2004/05 by clicking HERE.

Watford: Lee; Herd, Demerit (trialist), Blizzard, Mawer (Chapman 80); McNamee (Grant 80), Hand, Diagouraga (Gilligan 66), McMahon (trialist); Coleman (trialist) (Goulding (trialist) HT), McDonald (trialist) (Keane (trialist) 69). All subs used.

Aylesbury starting XI: Partlow, Williams, Mead, Lamb, Hayward, Smeathers, Champelovier, Cracknell, Cole, Dutsmore, Edgeworth.