Watford boss Adrian Boothroyd hailed his players' "superb effort" as the Hornets reached the Coca-Cola Championship final - and revealed his regret for sparking a touchline brawl.

Boothroyd's side held Crystal Palace 0-0 in the second leg of their semi-final tonight, to go through to the final to face Leeds United at the Millennium Stadium on May 21st as 3-0 aggregate winners.

Speaking afterwards the manager said: "It was a superb effort from the players. It was going to be a tough game, we knew that. They're a top team with a top manager and we had to be at our best tonight to hold onto 0-0.

"I'm so pleased for the lads, they've done brilliantly."

The match was always a tense affair and it reached boiling point when Boothroyd, standing by the side of the pitch, was involved in what began as a scuffle with Palace's Fitz Hall as both looked to retrieve the ball which had gone for a throw-in.

Hall appeared to throw a punch at Boothroyd, and Palace chief Iain Dowie also seemed to raise a fist in the skirmish.

"I wasn't trying to be clever. I was just trying to get the ball back," Boothroyd claimed.

However, he was sent to the stands by referee Steve Tanner and could be forced to watch the final from the stands in Cardiff.

"I suppose in this environment it was a little irresponsible," Boothroyd added. "I've learned two things tonight - one is to stay out of the way when the ball comes near me, and the other is my players are better when I'm in the stand.

"The referee asked me to go to the stand and I complied with his decision. I don't want a riot here. It was just enthusiasm trying to get the ball back so I hope he puts that in his report and I'm allowed on the touchline."

Leeds now stand between the Hornets and a place in next season's Barclays Premiership, with the final a match Boothroyd admits is a tantalising prospect.

"I look forward to it," he said. "It'll be a big game. You've got two teams there who will go out to win it."