Brighton's emphatic victory over Watford, coupled with Crystal Palace's win against Stoke, meant the Seagulls clung on to their First Division survival hopes for another week and took the relegation battle to the final day of the season.

Steve Coppell's side won thanks to goals from Dean Blackwell, Paul Kitson, Bobby Zamora and Charlie Oatway and now need three points from their last game - at relegated Grimsby - while hoping the Potters are beaten at home by play-off-bound Reading.

Brighton went out from the first whistle to try and gain the positive result they needed and Blackwell headed over the crossbar from a Kerry Mayo corner after five minutes.

Striker Gary Holt was then denied by goalkeeper Alec Chamberlain when getting in a shot from close range.

The flying start yielded a reward after 12 minutes when another venture forward from Blackwell resulted in him steering the ball high into the net from the edge of the six-yard area after another Mayo cross.

Midway through the half, Zamora went close to doubling the Seagulls' advantage but Chamberlain held his left-footed shot, and after 27 minutes their third striker Kitson gave the home fans another reason to be cheerful.

The former Newcastle and West Ham player volleyed the ball home for his 99th career goal after Mayo's long throw-in had caused havoc in the Watford penalty area.

Ivar Ingimarsson fired over the crossbar before Hart had to go off with an injury to be replaced by fellow marksman Graham Barrett as Coppell showed no signs of wanting to sit back on the lead.

As the half drew to a close the Hornets, fielding some new blood with their season effectively over, had their first couple of efforts at goal through two of their youngsters, Jason Norville and Sam Swonnell.

But Dave Beasant, comfortably old enough to be their father, produced fine saves.

Zamora looked lively in the second half, having a free-kick saved by Chamberlain just a minute after the restart, and deservedly scored the third goal after 72 minutes with a flicked header from a Nathan Jones cross.

The euphoria of the scoreline was compounded by the news from Selhurst Park, where Coppell's former club did his current team a massive favour, and the gloss on a perfect day for the hosts was added by substitute Oatway's tap-in two minutes into stoppage time.

Teams:

Brighton: Beasant, Watson, Cullip, Blackwell, Mayo, Kitson (Wilkinson 87), Jones, Rodger (Oatway 51), Ingimarsson, Zamora, Hart (Barrett 35).

Subs Not Used: Pethick, Packham.

Goals: Blackwell 13, Kitson 27, Zamora 72, Oatway 90.

Watford: Chamberlain, Mahon, Brown, Cox, Robinson, Ardley, Swonnell (Fisken 75), Johnson, Glass (Jack Smith 81), Tommy Smith (Fitzgerald 67), Norville.

Subs Not Used: Lee, Godfrey.

Booked: Fisken.

Att: 6,841

Ref: E Wolstenholme (Lancashire).