Albion launched a critical couple of months by proving yet again they are two-thirds of the way towards being a team to be reckoned with in the Championship.

December includes home games against Hull and Millwall, two of their fellow strugglers. Those matches, if not must-wins, certainly fall into the must-not-lose category.

It is vital for the Seagulls to enter the New Year as they are now, within touching distance of the sides around them, and it will be even more important in the January transfer window to sign the goalscoring target man they so desperately need.

The first month of 2006 looks particularly tough trips to Southampton and Sheffield United, visits from Leeds and Burnley. Extra firepower will be invaluable for those assignments and the remainder of the campaign.

Albion were more than a match for high-flying Watford in defence and midfield. The difference once more was in the third of the pitch where it really counts, the final third.

The Seagulls' young group of strikers lack conviction in the opposing penalty area. Jake Robinson and Colin Kazim-Richards, the front pair on Saturday, show signs of developing in time into good players for the club for years to come.

Unfortunately, time is of the essence in the fight for Championship survival. Finding an effective partner for Leon Knight, who, together with Chris McPhee, was relegated to the bench, offers the best chance of staying up. Knight is still the most lethal finisher among the current crop of forwards.

Assistant manager Bob Booker was on an overseas scouting mission yesterday as Albion continue to hunt high and low for the front man who could turn draws, 13 of them now, into wins.

They could perhaps do with a creative midfield option and more cover in the centre of defence as well but it is at the sharp end where they are noticeably less effective than the majority of their rivals.

Chairman Dick Knight needs to lay his hands on every spare scrap of cash he can muster, because signing a striker on the cheap is unlikely to be the answer.

Manager Mark McGhee knows how significant January will be. "I think it will make a difference and we've got to try to make sure we get those extra players," he said.

"We are looking and looking and preparing so that, come the window, we can possibly bring in a couple.

"I think we are squeezing every single ounce out of the players we've got.

"The difference is not necessarily on the training ground, anything I can say to them or ask them to eat or drink, it's about one or two people that are going to make the difference."

The first half at Vicarage Road epitomised Albion's season so far. They were indisputably the better side yet cruelly went in 1-0 down.

Robinson had a couple of chances which were by no means easy but required more of a killer instinct. Marlon King was contrastingly clinical when an opportunity came his way deep into stoppage time.

He escaped the attentions of Guy Butters and Adam El-Abd to slot his tenth goal of the season, the same number as the Seagulls' six strikers have managed between them.

Nottingham Forest paid £950,000 to Gillingham for King before loaning him out. He could not do it for Forest last season, when they were relegated, but the move to the Hornets has revitalised him.

Justice was done six minutes into the restart when Guy Butters equalised with his first goal of the season. Seb Carole's free-kick into a ruck of players was met by the veteran centre half with a header which looped over Watford keeper Ben Foster.

Butters' delight quickly turned to despair when a dubious penalty was awarded against him. Referee Ray Olivier ruled he handled a header by the unmarked Clarke Carlisle, Butters protesting the ball hit him on the nose before deflcting onto his arm.

Alan Blayney cannot drive - he travels into training with Butters from their homes in Southampton - but he certainly knows how to stop penalties.

The previous week goalkeeping coach John Keeley told him Derby's Inigo Idiakez struck his spot-kicks down the middle or to the right. Blayney dived to his right and saved with his feet.

The advice from Keeley this time was that King hits his penalties to the left. Blayney duly dived to his left to become the point-rescuing hero again.

Watford finally raised their game in the last half-hour, throwing men forward and pumping balls into the box.

The defence coped well with the battering and Albion could have claimed all three points on the break late-on, notably when substitute Alexis Nicolas shot instead of passing to the better-placed Knight.

McGhee reckoned the Seagulls should have been awarded a penalty themselves in the first half for a tug on Dean Hammond from a corner but attached no blame to Watford captain Gavin Mahon for a tackle which led to Carole being stretchered off ten minutes from time.

"I thought he (Carole) dwelt on the ball too long," McGhee said. "I didn't think it was a free-kick.

"Again we showed how close we are to being a half-decent team and getting wins. We came under a lot of pressure in the second half, when they got a little bit more direct and pushed the big guys up, but I thought we could have made more of our counter-attacking late in the game."

The cumulative effect of so many draws is that they are now being greeted, even away from home against promotion contenders, with a degree of disappointment.

This was certainly a good point for Albion and it would be an even better one at leaders Reading on Saturday.

  • Albion (4-4-2): Blayney 9; Hart 6, El-Abd 7, Butters 7, Reid 6; Carole 7, Oatway 8, Hammond 7, Frutos 8; Robinson 6, Kazim-Richards 7. Subs: Knight for Robinson (withdrawn 63), McPhee for Kazim-Richards (withdrawn 63), Nicolas for Carole (injured 80), Mayo, Chaigneau.
  • Watford (4-4-2): Foster; Chambers, Carlisle, Mackay, Stewart; Bangura, Spring, Mahon, McNamee; King, Grant. Subs: DeMerit for Grant (withdrawn 69), Chamberlain, Diagouraga, Mariappa, Gill.
  • Matchfacts
  • - Shots on goal: Albion 5 Watford 3.

- Shots off goal: Albion 2 Watford 5.

- Corners: Albion 4 Watford 6.

- Offside: Albion 4 Watford 2.

- Free-kicks: Albion 14 Watford 18.

  • Albion bookings: Reid (58) foul, Hart (84) deliberate handball.
  • Watford bookings: None.
  • Albion scorer: Butters (51).
  • Watford scorer: King (45).