Milutin Osmajic brace fires Preston North End to 3-0 win over Watford at Deepdale

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PNE back among the wins on home soil against Watford

Preston North End returned to winning ways in the Championship, as they saw off Watford 3-0 at Deepdale.

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It was the visitors who had the first, glaring opportunity of Wednesday night’s clash - but PNE goalkeeper Freddie Woodman produced a crucial save to keep out Kwadwo Baah. The two sides headed in level after an evenly contested 45 minutes. Milutin Osmajic and Ben Whiteman both called Hornets shot-stopper, Jonathan Bond, into action.

At half time the game had the feel of one that could go either way. The importance of breaking the deadlock won’t have been lost on either side and it took just eight minutes of the second half, for North End to do so. Kaine Kesler-Hayden’s excellent work down the right led to him playing the ball across for Osmajic, who made no mistake with his first time finish.

The Montenegrin could be set for a lengthy spell out, if the FA come down hard on him for the bite on Blackburn Rovers defender Owen Beck. But, if this was his last involvement for the time being, it wasn’t a bad one. On 65 minutes, the number 28 was on hand to apply another first time finish - after Jordan Storey smashed the ball across the box.

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North End had to ride their luck over the course of the 90 minutes. Paul Heckingbottom’s side cleared off the line before Osmajic’s second and Vakoun Bayo somehow slotted wide - passing up the chance to reduce the deficit to one. And, with 15 minutes left to play, that miss was punished as Ali McCann thundered home a ferocious effort, via the post, to seal the three points.

Attendance: 13,602 PNE XI:Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Hughes, Kesler-Hayden (Holmes 84’), Thordarson (Ledson 73’), Whiteman, McCann, Brady (Potts 73’), Frokjaer (Okkels 84’), Osmajic (Riis 87’) PNE unused subs: Cornell, Whatmough, Bowler, Stewart.

PNE vs Watford LIVE

37' Scythed down (0-0)

Watford break from a PNE corner and Whiteman hacks down Chakvetadze as he progresses into North End’s half.

33' Shot held (0-0)

PNE keep the ball alive in the Watford half, as Brady sends in successive corners. It drops kindly for Lindsay in the box and he tees up Whiteman to shoot, but his placed effort skids along the surface and into the arms of Bond.

30' Room worked (0-0)

North End combine, not too convincingly, but in the end well as Kesler-Hayden drills in a dangerous, low cross from the right. It’s gathered by Bond, but Preston starting to grow into the game.

27' Drilled over (0-0)

McCann slides the ball through to Kesler-Hayden, who works room to shoot up against Morris. It’s struck sweetly, but the effort rises over the crossbar from 20 yards or so.

23' Close for PNE (0-0)

Whiteman lifts a left footed cross into the box and Osmajic powers his header at goal, but Bond gets down to save.

21' Routine save (0-0)

Loose passes from McCann and Whiteman sees Watford play the ball in behind for Baah, who drives a shot at goal from 15 yards - but it’s an easy catch for Woodman.

15' Watford corner (0-0)

The Hornets keep it alive in PNE’s box and Brady is forced to put the ball behind. Kayembe swings it in from the right and Woodman manages to push it clear, with one hand, under pressure.

12' Slow start (0-0)

There were some early forays forward and positive signs, but it’s a little bit flat out there at the moment. There’s a solid look to Watford in the opening exchanges. Frokjaer has shown as much intent as anyone in white and blue - he is driving with the ball at every opportunity.

6' Massive save (0-0)

Baah runs clean through on goal but Woodman makes a huge save to deny him, one-v-one.

It wasn’t overly clear when the XI came out at 6:45pm. But, it looks as though PNE are a 3-5-1-1 in possession, with Frokjaer furthest up and supporting Osmajic.

Kesler-Hayden and Brady are pushing right on down the flanks. When Watford have the ball, Preston look to be dropping into a 4-1-4-1.

Mads Frokjaer gets the game under way, with PNE shooting towards the Town End in the first half...

Here come the teams...

After a light show pre-match, we’re ready for the game to get under way... around 400 look to have made the trip from Watford.

Watford: Bond; Pollock, Ogbonna, Morris, Ebosele, Louza, Sissoko, Larouci, Kayembe, Baah, Chakvetadze.

Subs: Marriott, Porteous, Andrews, Sema, Dwomoh, Ince, Vata, Tikvic, Bayo

Will Keane is absent tonight through injury.

Layton Stewart makes the PNE bench.

Team News confirmed

PNE: Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Hughes, Kesler-Hayden, Whiteman, McCann, Thordarson, Brady, Frokjaer, Osmajic.

PNE subs: Cornell, Whatmough, Potts, Ledson, Okkels, Bowler, Holmes, Stewart, Riis.

We’ll have the two XIs for you in seven minutes...

Tonight's Championship schedule

Stoke City vs Portsmouth

Sheffield United vs Swansea City

Bristol City vs Sheffield Wednesday

Last night’s scores, below...

Tom Cleverley pre-match

“League position and bookmakers’ odds might say that we travel to Preston with a real good chance to win the game,” said the Watford head coach. “We have a game plan in place that we believe will win us the game.

“But favourites or not, I believe if we implement and execute our game plan in the way I know we can, then I think we’ll win. I’m confident in our game plan, and I am 100% confident in what my players can do.

“With Preston, you’re talking about a team that finished above us in the league last season. So we respect them in the way we prepare, but we go there with confidence.”

Tom CleverleyTom Cleverley
Tom Cleverley | Getty Images
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