WATFORD took the lead against Brighton & Hove Albion on Monday, January 3 but that was as good as it got for the visitors who went down to a 2-1 defeat at the Withdean Stadium.

Heidar Helguson's 13th goal of the season looked to have put the Hornets in charge, but the Seagulls were soon level after Kerry Mayo capitalised on a mistake from Lloyd Doyley. Despite introducing Danny Webber at half-time and then Anthony McNamee and Hameur Bouazza later in the second-half, Watford disappeared as an attacking force after the break and could find no way back once Leon Knight had fired the home side in front.

Ray Lewington was forced into three changes from the team which beat Millwall. Jay DeMerit and Paul Mayo came into defence in place of the injured Sean Dyche and Jermaine Darlington, while Dominic Blizzard replaced the suspended Gavin Mahon in midfield.

Brighton showed two changes to the side which held QPR to a 0-0 draw at Loftus Road, with Leon Knight and Paul Watson replacing Paul Reid and Dan Harding, both of whom dropped to the bench.

The home side, who opened with a bold 3-4-3 formation, made the brighter start but it was Watford who had the first attempt after four minutes when James Chambers screwed a half-volley over from the edge of the area following Bryn Gunnarsson's knock-down. But two minutes later it took an excellent save from Michel Kuipers to tip behind a rising 30-yard drive from Blizzard that was heading for the top corner. The Hornets had another opportunity from the resultant corner, but Johnnie Jackson couldn't quite get his head around Helguson's flick-on.

The action then switched to the Hornets' end of the pitch, and after ten minutes Paul Jones had to leap away to his right to keep out a dipping half-volley from Gary Hart after the visiting backline had partially cleared a cross from the left.

But a minute later Watford were in front. Gunnarsson played a well-weighted ball forward and Helguson escaped the offside trap and closed in on the left side of the area before hitting a measured, curling shot over and beyond Kuipers.

The lead was to last only four minutes though. Richard Carpenter found Watson down the right and he played in a low centre, but instead of hitting the ball clear first time, Doyley dwelt in his six-yard box and Kerry Mayo nipped in to prod the ball past Jones to make it 1-1.

It could have got worse for the visitors when a poor Jones clearance landed at the feet of Knight, but after the striker got into the area Doyley got back to block his shot. Some minutes later, Jones had to go to ground to hold a a low pull-back from Knight after being found by Watson.

Watford had the next chance when Kuipers, under pressure from DeMerit, could only punch a Jackson corner from the right out to the edge of the area where Paul Devlin met it on the half-volley, but struck his shot a yard wide of the far post.

Jones wasn't unduly troubled by a Mark McCammon header after 40 minutes following good work by Charlie Oatway, before Blizzard was booked for pulling back Hart. Jones then held a low, angled drive from Watson.

Webber replaced Doyley at the break, but within 90 seconds of the restart Watford threatened to be caught out when Watson's quick free-kick found Knight in space in the area, but he turned into trouble and the defence was able to clear.

The Seagulls maintained their positive start to the second-half with Adam Virgo getting up at the far post to meet a corner from the left, but he headed back across goal and wide.

Devlin was booked for a foul on McCammon after 53 minutes, but even though the Brighton striker pushed away his opponent afterwards he escaped punishment. Soon after, DeMerit had a header deflected behind as Watford began to exert some attacking pressure, but then Virgo was very fortunate to escape with just a yellow card for a horrible, two-footed challenge on Gunnarsson. Helguson was also booked for his part in the subsequent melee.

Jones had to go to ground to hold a back post header from Guy Butters after 61 minutes following a deep Watson free-kick, and then Kerry Mayo struck a first-time effort straight at the Hornets keeper.

Brighton made a triple change after 66 minutes and within two minutes it had paid off. Gunnarsson gave the ball away in the Albion half and it was worked out to substitute Dan Harding, who went sprinting down the left before playing in a low cross and Knight got across the front of his man to steer the ball across Jones and into the far corner to make it 2-1.

Soon after, Neil Cox had to make a fine header to prevent Guy Butters from getting on the end of a corner from the left, and then Paul Mayo was booked for a challenge on Knight after 71 minutes.

Watford still offered little going forward and seven minutes left they almost conceded a third when Cox gave the ball away to Knight who, spotting Jones off his line, tried a lob from 30 yards which only narrowly cleared the bar.

DeMerit did stab a shot wide of the near post as the game entered injury-time and then forced Webber forced Kuipers to dive forward to push away his low cross from the left, but the last act of a thoroughly disappointing second-half for the visitors was a Chambers booking for a foul on Virgo.

Brighton & Hove Albion: Kuipers; Virgo, Hinshelwood, Butters; Watson, Carpenter, Oatway, Mayo; Knight, McCammon, Hart. Substitutes: Harding, Reid and Nicolas for Watson, McCammon and Hart after 66 mins; Hammond and May not used.

Watford: Jones; Doyley, Cox, DeMerit, Mayo; Chambers, Gunnarsson, Blizzard, Jackson; Helguson, Devlin. Substitutes: Webber for Doyley after 45 mins; McNamee for Jackson after 73 mins; Bouazza for Devlin after 76 mins; Dyer and Chamberlain not used.

Bookings: Blizzard for a foul on Hart after 42 mins; Devlin for a foul on McCammon after 53 mins; Virgo for a foul on Gunnarsson after 58 mins; Helguson for unsporting conduct after 58 mins; Paul Mayo for a foul on Knight after 71 mins; Chambers for a foul on Virgo after 90 mins.

Attendance: 6,335.

Referee: Keith Stroud.