Watford head coach Ed Still said the 5-1 defeat away at Middlesbrough was "really painful" for everyone.
The defeat is the Hornets fourth in a row and sees them drop to 16th in the Championship table.
"The result is really painful for everyone – myself, the fans, the club, the players," Still told BBC Three Counties Radio.
"There were two parts to it. As strange as it sounds, the first-half performance was a really, really good performance.
"The control we had in midfield, we caused them problems. We should have been 2-1 up.
"They've had a moment of brilliance with the free-kick, and the second goal sums up our patchy form in our defensive box.
"But the actual result isn't just based on this game, but the whole season. Not creating enough togetherness, not creating enough resilience, and that's what happens at the end of a season, unfortunately."
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