Middlesbrough 4, Watford 1.

AFTER 44 minutes at the Riverside on Saturday an announcement over the public address system launched Exercise Echo One at which point around 100 police officers and stewards tore around the perimeter of the pitch and stood staring blank-faced into the crowd.

The idea appeared to be to measure the reaction time to any potential problem at the stadium.

Defeat at West Ham nine days ago launched Boro's exercise relegation avoidance and their response to the problem against Watford was as decisive and, with their first goal after less than five minutes, speedy as the groundstaff and Cleveland constabulary.

After all but extinguishing any threat with a professional demolition of the worst side in the Premiership, two of Boro's players had slightly differing views on the club's plight prior to their 4-1 win.

The difference between the two is Mark Viduka was relegated with Leeds United, while Stewart Downing has never experienced the dreaded drop.

"We have top quality players but it's not a good thing to get complacent anyway," said Viduka.

"We never talked about relegation because we all believe in ourselves and our team, but it's not good to say: 'We're not going to get relegated.'

"I don't think so, anyway.

"I was at Leeds United and everybody was saying the same thing - we've got too many good players to go down. And in the end we did go down."

Downing's take was: "I know people have been talking about it (relegation) around the club but I didn't think we really had any fears.

"The players have never really talked about it.

"There's lot of teams playing each other around the bottom and we knew we just had to keep playing the sort of football we're capable of.

"We've gone through a transitional season and we think to finish in the top-ten would be a good season all round."

Whilst not mathematically safe, the last week appeared to have concentrated the minds of the Boro players that the quicker they can banish the R-word from the Riverside the better.

They set about the Premiership's worst side from the kick-off and only an inspired 30 minute spell of goalkeeping by Watford's loan signing Ben Foster after the break prevented a rout.

Viduka got the first in the fifth minute capitalising on some good wing play by Adam Johnson enjoying a rare start on the wing.

His cross from the right was headed back into the goalmouth by Downing and Viduka grabbed his 13th of the season.

Instead of building on their flying start the goal appeared to unsettle Middlesbrough and they allowed Watford back into the game with the equaliser almost inevitable.

Jordan Stewart's free-kick was met all too easily by Danny Shittu and Damien Francis escaped the none too close attentions of Fabio Rochemback to volley the Hornets level.

Two minutes later and Boro were back in front with a goal carved out by the impressive Johnson and finished by a combination of George Boateng and Chris Riggott, making his first start since December.

Johnson had Tommy Smith turning this way and that as he created room to play Boateng in 25 yards out.

His shot appeared covered by Foster until it ballooned off the heels of Riggott and into the top corner.

Boro got a crucial break on half time.

Exercise Echo One appeared to panic Andrew Taylor and when a long hopeful cross came in from the left he flicked at the ball lazily and it dropped to Douglas Rinaldi on the penalty spot but his snapshot was wild.

After the break Foster showed why he's in better form than England's current number one Paul Robinson.

He denied Boro on several occasions with the pick a double save in the 54th minute from Yakubu and Rochemback - pushing the striker's effort away before denying the Brazilian with his legs.

Foster's excellence was the result of the defence in front of him being far from disciplined. Their tendency to dive in when confronted with danger led to Boro's third.

Johnson fed Viduka ten yards out and he teased and bamboozled three Watford players before picking his spot in the top corner. Viduka then turned provider to set up Rochemback for the fourth he slipped past Foster from inside the box.

"We have had games, like Sheffield United on New Year's Day and Charlton before Christmas, where everybody has talking about them being must-win games," said Southgate.

"Every time we have had these games the players have got the result that mattered."