Helguson has Brighton all at sea

"Save Our Club" is the slogan around Watford, with wage cuts imposed on the staff, players agreeing to a "deferral" of salary, the Vicarage Road ground sold for £6 million and then leased back, and the new chairman, Graham Simpson, appealing to Sir Elton John to come back and help. As the pitchside announcer said, it was "all about getting hands to the pumps and contributing as much as you can to help keep this great club going".

The town responded yesterday. A committed and vociferous crowd of 15,305 was easily the best of the season and their reward was a narrow, but deserved, victory which keeps their side moving along nicely. Iceland's Heidar Helguson headed the lone goal and the manager, Ray Lewington, who has taken a pay cut along with the rest, acknowledged that, although Watford had not played remarkably well, they had responded to the crowd's backing "and showed our spirit is still intact".

The spirit in the First Division this season is what the British like to associate with Dunkirk and 1940 – everybody in the same leaky boat. "Reality has set in and it all happened so quickly," said Lewington. "One minute everybody had a lot of money and now, except possibly for Portsmouth, nobody has any. At least it makes sure you work with the players you have got."

The players he is working with have so far done Lewington proud and there was never much danger that Brighton, with only one win this season after two successive years of promotion, would nick a point. Their record ensured they would approach this match with an air of apprehension, seeking to contain Watford and set up counterattacks through the prolific Bobby Zamora. Though his left wrist was bandaged, there was nothing wrong with Zamora's speed off the mark, and he induced an air of panic in Watford's back line.

The captain, Neil Cox, did his best to stay tight, bearing in mind the difference in years, while Alec Chamberlain took upon himself the role of sweeper to close down the threat. It was a tactic which persuaded Brighton they might profit from chips and lobs towards an untenanted net, and twice in the early stages Richard Carpenter and Graham Barrett went close.

Not as close as Allan Nielsen, who stabbed Helguson's downward header wide with just six minutes played. The groin injury which saw Marcus Gayle replaced after 30 minutes by Stephen Glass introduced purpose to Watford's play and meant trouble for Brighton. Their captain, Danny Cullip, headed away Neal Ardley's lob with the Dutch goalkeeper Michel Kuipers stranded after a foolish sally from his line. Kuipers was at fault again with the goal. Nielsen let fly from 30 yards and his attempt to catch the shot turned into a fumble, a loose ball and an enterprising Helguson header.

Brighton did better in the second half, with Chamberlain saving well from Zamora at close range. But another goal always looked likelier to fall Watford's way and Kuipers atoned for his errors with some excellent stops, most notably from Nielsen and Danny Webber. As for Brighton, they have now lost 10 in a row. Perhaps this is a division too far for them.

Watford 1 Brighton & Hove Albion 0
Helguson 40

Half-time: 1-0 Attendance: 15,305