I didn't realise it was one home game to three away games

Last updated : 11 February 2011 By Tony Scholes
Watford have played two of their last three league games away, against two of the teams above them Cardiff and Nottingham Forest, and Mackay has been impressed with the performances despite the defeats.

He said: "I think it's disappointing that we never picked up points but it's a measure of where we've come from and where we're going. I've got to be really encouraged by the way that we played against two top clubs who have got plenty of experience and sizeable squads.

"To go to both of those games and be close to getting something out of both shows a measure of the improvement in this group of players."

Not it's Burnley at home and on looking back at Burnley's 3-2 Turf Moor win against them in November, he added: "I thought we played very well that day. I spoke to Russ Wilcox recently, who was Brian Laws' assistant at the time, as he came down and spent a day with us. He said they were very impressed with us and the we played that day.

"He felt they were a little but fortunate that day with the penalty situation with Martin Taylor. Again, it's a measure of where we've come from that we can go to a top team and press them and go looking for a result."

Eddie Howe, at last night's Clarets Mad Howe Do, spoke of the need to improve an away record that has been far from good enough for two years and admitted he hadn't realised it was quite as bad as it's has been.

He also knows that we need to start winning them if we are to have a realistic chance of reaching the top six and the play offs. "We are coming to a stage of the season where probably drawing games isn't enough. We need to win games," he said.

"We do need to start getting three points on a regular basis if we want to reach the play off pack. It would be nice to get more than back-to-back wins but first we have to look to Watford and try and get those three points."

His first three league games were away and now there are another three to follow the home win over Norwich last week. He joked: "I didn't realise when I came here it was one home game to three away games. It's quite strange."

And looking at some of the difficult fixtures facing us, he added: "It's a tough run and not ideal for us but we know the task in hand and the other side of it is that we are going to have a lot of home games later in the season, which is something I'm looking forward to.

"But the important thing is we pick up results now. We can't rely on our home form, we have to rely on both home and away form. With four away games we will hopefully get a good start, which I think is crucial to this run of games. If you get a good start the next ones don't seem so difficult.

"Last Saturday was a big win for us, playing a side above us in the table and we knew we needed a result, especially at home. Now we turn our attention to Watford which will be a difficult game because they have done well this season. But we know we are capable and if we turn up and perform like we have done we should be okay.

"Watford are a young energetic side with some good players. Obviously Danny Graham up front has had a great season.

"The pitch is fantastic with rugby played on it so it will be different. We are going to need to be well prepared, which I think we are, and just have belief in ourselves and try and imprint our game on Watford and with the squad we have we shouldn't be fearing anyone.

"We are desperate to try and achieve something this season."