FOR weeks, Watford have been wary of being drawn into a Coca-Cola Championship relegation battle. Well, following today's 2-0 defeat to Preston North End at Vicarage Road, Ray Lewington's side are now well and truly embroiled in the desperate fight for survival which, on this evidence, will go right to the wire.

David Nugent and Paul McKenna got the Preston goals, and Billy Davies' side deserved their victory for looking the more robust and creating the slightly better chances, although the fact that neither keeper was forced into a meaningless save just underlines what a miserable game of football this was.

Watford have now taken just two points from an available 18 in their last six games which is a worrying statistic. However, perhaps more alarming is the fact that even with a near first-choice side out, and in front of a close to capacity Vicarage Road, the Hornets did not create a clear cut chance all afternoon, and remained shaky in defence throughout.

Lewington made just the one change to the team which was held by Leicester on Tuesday, but he also shuffled his pack. Bryn Gunnarsson, available again after his one-game ban, replaced JayDeMerit, who was rested. This meant Lloyd Doyley moved across to centre-half, James Chambers dropped back to right-back, Neal Ardley again started on the right and Johnnie Jackson moved to the left side of midfield.

Preston, meanwhile, were unchanged from the team that drew at Sheffield United.

Watford slowly began to take the initiative after a nervy opening ten minutes from both sides, forcing two corners, both comfortably cleared by the Preston defence.

A head injury following a nasty fall forced Eddie Lewis off the pitch for ten minutes to receive treatment and, once back to 11 men, the visitors edged themselves back into the game, and a Graham Alexander drive from the edge of the box after a cleverly-rehearsed corner, could have posed problems had it not been blocked by the Watford defence.

And Chris Lucketti should have done better on 19 minutes but blazed an unchallenged header over from eight yards.

At the other end, Danny Webber just failed to get on the end of Heidar Helguson's cross after the Icelandic international had spun out wide right.

But Preston should have taken the lead on 21 minutes. The visitors had been awarded a free-kick 25 yards from goal and with the Watford defence asleep, Brian O'Neil slipped the ball through to Richard Cresswell and, from eight yards out and just to the right of goal, he crashed his shot against the underside of the bar.

Watford were struggling to get out of their own half at this stage but when Ardley floated the ball forward to Helguson and he headed out wide to Webber, Johnnie Jackson just failed to get on the end of the former Manchester United youngster's cross.

Cresswell fired straight at Lee after bundling his way past Neil Cox on 34 minutes before Gunnarsson's effort was deflected wide at the other end .

But Watford had their best, and only real chance of the game a minute before the break when Jackson swung over a left-footed free-kick from the right and Helguson skewed a volley over from a couple of yards out.

Lewis then flashed a volley past Lee's left hand post after being picked out at the far post from a Sedgwick cross in what proved to be the last chance of a desperately disappointing first-half.

It didn't get much better after the break either. Webber did do well to turn and release Ardley down the right, but after continuing his run and waiting for the ball at the back post, Ardley's cross failed to beat the first defender.

This prompted Watford's best spell of the game. Webber and Helguson combined well and the ball was eventually worked wide right to Ardley. He beat his man, whipped over a low cross and Jackson's shot from ten yards out would have caused Day problems but it was desperately blocked by a Preston defender.

Ardley and Smith both delivered dangerous crosses from their respective flanks but, just as the Hornets were getting into the ascendancy, Preston took the lead on 59 minutes. Ardley looked to break midway in his own half, but his ball forward was blocked by McKenna and the unfortunate deflection played in Nugent and, from slightly wide on the right just inside the penalty area, he drove low across Lee.

Chris Eagles and Anthony McNamee were quickly brought on to give Watford more of an attacking impetus and the Manchester United loanee immediately won a corner, but Preston, solid as ever, cleared once again.

And the promotion hopefuls doubled their lead on 71 minutes. Sedgwick was hauled down by Jackson wide on the right near the Watford touchline; Alexander feigned to cross the free-kick but instead cut the ball back for McKenna and, from just outside the box, he unleashed a fizzing low drive into the bottom right-hand corner of Lee's net.

Watford valiantly tried to claw their way back into it, and Day made a hash of clearing Eagles' free-kick but Gunnarsson's follow-up header was cleared off the line.

Eagles then curled a free-kick from the left just wide of the far post before Helguson sliced an effort well over when well-placed on the left.

However, the game petered out as Preston consolidated on their lead and comfortably saw time out.

Watford: Lee; Chambers, Doyley, Cox, Smith; Ardley, Mahon, Gunnarsson, Jackson; Helguson, Webber. Substitutes: McNamee and Eagles for Smith and Ardley after 66 mins; Dyer for Webber after 72 mins. Chamberlain, Bouazza not used.

Preston North End: Day; Alexander, Mawene, Lucketti, Davidson; Sedgwick, McKenna, O'Neil, Lewis; Cresswell, Nugent. Substitutes: Hill for Lewis after 62 mins; Agyemang for Nugent after 73 mins; Davis for Sedgwick after 79 mins. Folly, Ward not used.

Bookings: McKenna for a foul on Webber after 33 mins; Davidson for a foul on Ardley after 43 mins; Jackson for a foul on Sedgwick after 70 mins.

Attendance: 19,649 Referee: Mike Jones (Ellesmere Port, Cheshire