The Watford manager's thinking was that he would only visit the national stadium when he had earned the right, something he was hoping to do by edging out Hull City over 180 minutes of play-off football.

Unfortunately for Bradford-born Boothroyd, it appears his virgin trip to the home of English football will have to wait for another year at least.

Hull City, meanwhile, must surely now be on the verge of playing at Wembley for the first time in their history after building a commanding two-goal lead to take back to the
KC Stadium for Wednesday's return leg.

First-half strikes by hometown heroes Nicky Barmby and Dean Windass together with an outstanding display of goalkeeping by Boaz Myhill means a place in the Championship play-off final is now within touching distance.

Not that Phil Brown will allow his players to get carried away, the Tigers manager knowing from bitter experience how a seemingly unassailable lead can collapse in dramatic fashion.

However, it was difficult to dispel the feeling at the final whistle that Hull are already there. The dejected looks on the faces of the Watford players as they trudged from the field was only matched by the glum faces of those leaving the stands and it will take a major effort from Boothroyd to raise spirits sufficiently by Wednesday night.

Hull were full value for the win, even if it did require some superb goalkeeping by Welsh international Myhill at times to preserve the two-goal advantage.

Brown reacted to the final-day defeat at Ipswich Town by switching back to his favoured
4-4-2 formation with Richard Garcia and Barmby starting out wide.

It proved to be a masterstroke with it taking the former England international just eight minutes of his first start in three months to grab the all-important first goal.

There had appeared to be little danger when a seemingly innocuous long ball was hoisted down the right flank only for Danny Shittu and Mat Sadler to get in each other's way when trying to head clear.

Fraizer Campbell, alert as ever, was quick to capitalise and after racing into the area, the on-loan Manchester United striker coolly picked out Barmby's perfectly-timed run from the left.

The England international did not even have to break stride as he majestically swept the ball past Richard Lee from 10 yards out to prompt jubilant scenes in the away seats.

It was the perfect start against a Hornets side who had come into the tie on the back of a horrendous run of form that had seen Boothroyd's men win just once in 14 games.

One of Hull's many strengths this season has been their ability to build on a lead, Brown's side having gone on to lose just once this term in the 26 games in which they have taken the lead.

And this mental strength was again in evidence at Vicarage Road as Hull continued to pour forward in search of a second goal.

Campbell went close with a shot that was beaten away by Lee and then Richard Garcia seemed to be shoved over in the area by Sadler only for referee Kevin Friend to wave play on.

It was a let-off for the Hornets, but their good fortune would not last with a sweeping move involving Barmby and Andy Dawson on 22 minutes ending with Campbell's header being deflected against his own crossbar by Leigh Bromby.

Windass, using all his experience to good effect, was then the first to react and head the rebound into the net to put Hull 2-0 up.

Finally stung into action, the Hornets rediscovered the attacking verve that characterised their play in the Autumn when they seemed certainties to win automatic promotion.

It meant Myhill was suddenly thrust into the action, the Tigers' goalkeeper brilliantly tipping away efforts by Tommy Smith and Jobi McAnuff just before the break.

Watford continued to threaten after half-time with Shittu heading against the crossbar and Sadler only being denied by a spectacular save from Myhill.

The momentum was, by now, with the home side, but a reckless challenge by John Eustace on Garcia earned the Hornets captain a red card.

Watford were incensed, as they had been in the fourth minute when referee Friend disallowed what seemed to be a perfectly legitimate 'goal' by Shittu.

Despite being down to 10 men, the home side still managed to create a couple of openings only for Smith and then substitute Tamas Priskin to once again be denied by Myhill to leave Hull, and not Boothroyd, dreaming of a first trip to Wembley.