Watford’s trip to Deepdale ended in disappointment as they were stunned 3-0 by Preston North End.
A Milutin Osmajić brace and a stunning strike from Ali McCann secured victory for the hosts. Despite Watford’s promising first-half performance, they left Lancashire empty-handed, falling victim to a clinical second-half display from the Lilywhites.
The match started brightly for Watford, who looked determined to make an early impact. In just the sixth minute, Kwadwo Baah found himself through on goal, but his effort was denied by Preston goalkeeper Freddie Woodman, who made himself big to keep the scores level. This was a golden chance for the Hornets, and the missed opportunity would prove costly.
Preston responded almost immediately, as Robbie Brady sent in a dangerous cross that nearly caught out Watford’s goalkeeper Jonathan Bond. The Irish international’s delivery caused chaos in the penalty area, but Bond was able to get a crucial touch and prevent it from sneaking in at the far post.
Watford enjoyed more possession in the opening half, but Preston began to find their rhythm, creating dangerous chances. Osmajić had a couple of good opportunities, with Bond called into action once again to deny the Montenegrin forward after Brady’s clever cross found him in space.
The first half ended goalless, with Watford perhaps feeling they had the upper hand in terms of control. However, a lack of cutting edge in the final third and some crucial defensive interventions from Preston left the Hornets frustrated.
Watford started the second half slowly, and it didn’t take long for Preston to seize control of the match. In the 53rd minute, the deadlock was broken. Jordan Storey displayed some fancy footwork on the right wing before slipping the ball to Kaine Kesler-Hayden. The wing-back’s precise pass found Osmajić, who made no mistake with a calm finish past Bond to give Preston the lead.
Barely two minutes later, Osmajić came close to adding a second with a header that went just over the bar. Watford tried to rally and found some space through Ryan Andrews, whose long-range strike was well saved by Woodman. But the Hornets struggled to regain their composure after conceding the first goal.
In the 65th minute, Osmajić doubled Preston’s lead. Stefán Thórdarson’s long throw into the box caused confusion in Watford’s defence, and Storey’s drilled shot across goal fell kindly to Osmajić, who made no mistake with a one-touch finish. At 2-0 down, Watford faced an uphill battle.
The visitors had a chance to pull one back when Vakoun Bayo was sent through on goal in the 73rd minute, but the striker dragged his shot wide, much to the relief of the Preston faithful. This miss summed up Watford’s afternoon – plenty of effort but lacking the clinical edge in front of goal.
Preston then put the game to bed just two minutes later. Ben Whiteman’s free-kick was met by Ali McCann on the edge of the box, and his first-time volley flew past Bond and in off the post. It was a stunning strike, and it put the result beyond any doubt.
Osmajić almost secured his hat-trick late on, meeting another Kesler-Hayden cross, but Bond did well to deny him. Meanwhile, Woodman had to be at his best to keep out a deflected effort from Andrews in the dying minutes, ensuring he held onto his clean sheet.
For Watford, the stats tell part of the story: they had more possession (55.7% to Preston’s 44.3%) and an equal number of shots on target, but their inability to take advantage of key moments cost them dearly. Preston, on the other hand, were ruthless with their chances and put in a disciplined defensive display to keep Watford at bay.
The defeat leaves Watford fans wondering what might have been, as missed chances and defensive lapses allowed Preston to capitalise. Despite creating some decent opportunities, the Hornets lacked the cutting edge needed to convert possession into goals.
For manager Valérien Ismaël, the result will be a bitter pill to swallow, particularly after such a promising first-half display. Watford will need to regroup quickly and find more consistency if they hope to mount a serious challenge in the Championship this season.
As for Preston, their victory will be a huge boost, marking their first league win in five matches. For Watford, however, it’s back to the drawing board after a sobering afternoon at Deepdale.
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