McGinn rues sloppy start

Watford can at least be left to concentrate on the Championship but had to hold their hands up after losing at home against League One leaders Brighton 1-0 in the Cup.

Brighton had done their homework and refused to be swept away by the tidal wave that Watford normally use from the first whistle to undermine opponents.

Watford midfielder Stephen McGinn said: "We never really got going. We've always come out of the blocks flying, getting in other teams' faces - it wasn't a performance we could be proud of at all. To allow them to play the way they did on our pitch was disappointing."