Preston North End 2-2 Watford: Milutin Osmajic rescues point for PNE with new signing bagging first assist

Preston North End drew 2-2 with Watford in a highly entertaining game at Deepdale on Saturday.

Lewis Dobbin put PNE ahead in the 19th minute with an expert finish but Watford, under new boss Ed Still, responded in style in the second half, with two goals in as many second-half minutes.

Othmane Maamma equalised before Odel Offiah put an unfortunate own goal into the North End net. But, Milutin Osmajic made his return from suspension off the bench and equalised just past the midpoint of the second half

North End started brightly and had a clear chance from a very fluid team move, three minutes in. Daniel Jebbison found Alfie Devine in a goal-scoring position just to the left of the six-yard box, but his extra touch afforded James Abankwah the time to track back and block the Spurs loanee’s powerful effort.

Deepdale rose to its feet on the seventh minute to applaud Sir Tom Finney, 12 years after the club icon’s passing.

Maamma then forced Dai Cornell into a stop at his near post, moments before PNE took the lead. In another nicely-worked move down the left, Ben Whiteman played a neat one-two with Devine after an Andrija Vukcevic throw-in. The skipper then placed a lovely, low cross to Dobbin who delicately slotted home into the bottom right corner.

Cornell produced a superb save 32 minutes in to keep out Luca Kjurremgaard’s looping header from a corner. Shortly after, at the other end, Vukcevic’s cross from the left found Dobbin whose fierce effort sailed wide. The game really began to open up from that point and moments later, PNE’s goalkeeper claimed the ball after Hornets’ captain Imran Louza’s bobbling pile-driver.

Watford started the second half on the front foot as Edo Kayembe saw a shot charged down before Abankwah blazed one over the bar from 25 yards. Dobbin tried his luck from a similar range for PNE; that went in in the stands too.

The visitors did equalise on 55 minutes, with Maamma striking the ball well and low past Cornell after a rapid counter-attack by the Hornets. They weren’t done there; Watford turned the game on its head just a minute later. Substitute Kwadwo Baah sent in a dangerous ball on the edge of the six-yard box and Offiah turned it into his own net.

Ben Whiteman made a vital headed clearance on 68 minutes to stop Formose Mendy’s nod towards goal, but PNE broke with pace from the subsequent corner and along came the equaliser.

Two substitutes combined as record signing Callum Lang threaded a gorgeous assist, on debut, through to Osmajic who turned his man and drilled a shot to Egil Selvik’s left. The ground erupted as the Montenegrin, who scored twice in both games against the Hornets last season, celebrated in front of the Town End once again.

Formose Mendy hit the woodwork four minutes after the leveller, before Baah had two swings at goal which both whistled wide. Mamadou Doumbia’s drive was then mere inches away from nestling into the bottom right-hand corner. Stephen Mfuni and Maamma also saw their chances miss the target late on, before Jordan Storey’s free header from a Devine set piece just went over the bar.

That was the final, major opportunity of an enthralling clash between two sides who remain well in the race for the play-off spots.

Attendance: 14,611. Preston North End starting XI: Cornell; Offiah, Storey, Gibson, Valentin (Small 62’), Whiteman (c), McCann, Vukcevic (Lang 62’), Devine, Dobbin (Hughes 76’), Jebbison (Osmajic 62’). Unused subs: Walton, Lewis, Thompson, Moran, Smith.