AS the Hornets look to firmly cement their place in the Championship play offs this weekend, the home side won't be taking the visitors too lightly despite having already had their fate sealed.

Scunthorpe visit Vicarage Road for the first time since November 1977. After storming League One last season and finishing top, six points clear of Bristol City, they now start planning for their return to that league after only one season in the second tier of British football.

The stakes couldn't be much different for the sides. For the home team they need to pick up a morale boosting victory in front of their own fans to start building in time for the lottery of the play offs; while the visitors will be playing for pride and looking ahead to next season - free from any immediate pressures.

Watford have picked up maximum points once in their last three home games and as the Hornets aren't yet 100 per cent guaranteed a place in the play offs, they first need to cement their place by getting three points this weekend

Boss Aidy Boothroyd said: "I'm disappointed that as we come into our last home game of the season our home form has been so poor. I'm disappointed that we haven't given our fans at home more to shout about.

"We felt from the start of the season that we could get automatic promotion and that looks, bar a miracle, as if it has gone now. We've got to make sure that we consolidate our place and we can only do that by winning.

"We're in a good position in fifth but we have to put some points on the board and make sure we're not the team who stays in the top six all season and then drops out at the end."

At the time of writing, Wolves pose the biggest threat to those in the play offs. Mick McCarthy's men are three points behind the 'Orns and two behind Nick Warnock's Crystal Palace.

As for the Hornets' opposition this weekend, despite being relegated, the Irons bounced back last Saturday and disposed of FA Cup finalists Cardiff City with a last-minute winner.

Boothroyd enjoyed his trip to Glanford Park earlier this campaign and spoke of his admiration for the club and their manager Paul Adkins.

This time round, Boothroyd commented: "I think Scunthorpe will come down here and have nothing to fear. They'll want to take a scalp because we know how they feel because we were there last year.

"For me it was important that we kept momentum and that we finished the season with smiles on our faces despite knowing our fate.

"They'll play without any pressure or fear and they'll try and turn the crowd, obviously the longer it goes without a goal for us the more patient we have to be."

The Irons are likely to have Paul Hayes in their starting line-up after his last minute winner last weekend. It's a name and face that Boothroyd knows well after he had the striker under his wing at Norwich City.

Watford were punished for their failure to convert chances last weekend against Crystal Palace and that has been the case more than once this season.

The Yorkshire man knows his side can do better in front of goal and opposing teams have taken advantage of mistakes, especially at Vicarage Road.

He added: "We've had some excellent chances in our home games and we haven't taken them, there's been that deflation and then the opposition comes back, we chase the game and are left wide open and get counter-attacked and that happened on a number of occasions.

"But we've only got ourselves to blame for that. We don't feel sorry for ourselves - it's about making sure we finish the season strongly.

"We've had an awful lot of people following us around the country and coming to Vicarage Road every other Saturday, so we want to make sure we give them something to cheer about."

Injury wise the Golden Boys are in good shape with no fresh knocks to report. Collins John has ended his loan spell with the 'Orns and returned to Fulham following a thigh injury.

Despite scoring for the reserves in midweek, it is still too early for Scottish midfielder Gareth Williams, who so far has three reserve outings under his belt after a year on the sidelines with a cruciate ligament injury. 

Fellow midfielder Damien Francis again isn't considered for action after his knee flared up following his return to the side after sitting out on the sidelines with the same injury as Williams. 

Saturday's other games:
Colchester v Stoke
Coventry v Wolves
Hull v Crystal Palace
Preston v Ipswich
Sheffield United v Bristol City

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