Tag Archives: Preston North End

14th February 2026- Championship, Preston North End 2 Watford 2

Watford Observer: Still calls on Watford to unite for play-off push

Bove will be on the bench at Preston as Still targets front-foot style

Preston preview: Still needs wins straight away, that’s the reality

Match Wrap: Preston North End 2-2 Watford – Watford FCDownload

Watford Observer: MATCHDAY AS IT HAPPENED: Preston North End 2-2 Watford

Match Report: Still’s Watford bow ends in ding-dong 2-2 at Preston

Still felt Watford did enough to win after Baah changed the game at Preston

Bove received dressing-room applause after emotional return to football

Still on why he selected four centre-backs: ‘It’s Preston away’

Preston verdict: How did Ed Still fare in his first match as Watford head coach?

BBC: Second-half substitute Milutin Osmajic rescued a draw for Preston to deny Ed Still victory in his first game as Watford’s new head coach.

Sky: Preston had taken the lead through a well-taken Lewis Dobbin strike in the 19th minute but were pegged back by Othmane Maamma’s cool 55th-minute leveller and fell behind due to an unfortunate own goal from Odel Offiah two minutes later.

BHappy: Since the half is characterised by North End being run ragged, they end the game utterly exhausted as every passing minute brings the possibility of victory closer. They’ll argue that the blocks and the deflections and the bodies earned their point, but nobody could have argued if one of the many chances had gone in to decide the game, least of all a sublime volley from Formose Mendy which span off the inside of the post, rolled along the goalline, by-passed the far post and went out for a goal kick. By this time a fine chant (new to my ears) had gained traction, celebrating Big and Little Mendy in turn to the tune of 2 Unlimited’s “No Limit”.

From the Rookery End: Watford travelled to Deepdale and returned with a 2-2 draw against Preston — a result that, for a first game under a new Head Coach, looks decent… but still leaves the same lingering annoyance. With the season entering the business end, draws aren’t enough, and the pressure is building to start turning draws into wins.

25th November 2025- Championship, Watford 1 Preston North End 1

Watford Observer: Preston striker Jebbison set for Vicarage Road return against ‘frightening’ Watford

Watford injury update: Baah and Selvik face weeks on the sidelines

Match Wrap: Watford 1-1 Preston North End – Watford FCDownload

Watford Observer: MATCHDAY RECAP: Watford 1-1 Preston North End

Five talking points after Watford’s draw with Preston

Match Report: Watford forced to settle for 1-1 draw with Preston

‘It is not enough’ – Gracia disappointed with Preston draw

Gracia hails ‘very good’ Maamma and will be careful with Chakvetadze

‘Hold that’ – Jebbison appears to aim dig at Watford with social media post

Preston verdict: Maamma shines on another nearly night for Watford

BBC: Watford extended their unbeaten run to five matches but could not find a way past a stubborn Preston side as the pair fought out an entertaining draw at Vicarage Road.

Sky: Daniel Jebbison scored against his former club as Preston shared a 1-1 draw with Watford at Vicarage Road. Mamadou Doumbia cancelled out his opener shortly before half-time to continue Watford’s trend of coming back from behind this season.

Fran’s Watford Blog: It had been an entertaining game, but it was rather frustrating not to come away with all three points. The Hornets had created a hatful of chances, but some resolute defending by the opposition and some wasteful finishing meant that we were restricted to a single goal. Maamma was absolutely superb, constantly involved, skipping past tackles and getting into the right areas. He is incredibly talented but also works very hard which is great to see. The return of Chakvetadze was a joy. He was only briefly involved but when he is match fit, it will be like having a new signing.

21st January 2025- Championship, Watford 1 Preston North End 2

WFC.Net goal commentary: 1

Report: Watford 1-2 Preston North End – Watford FCDownload

BBC: Milutin Osmajic’s double earned Preston only their second away win of the season and denied Watford the chance to move into the Championship play-off places.

Sky: The loss was a third straight home defeat for the Hornets, despite Rocco Vata’s late reply.

Watford Observer: RECAP: Watford 1 Preston 2

Five talking points as Hornets lose third straight home game

Watford 1 Preston 2 minute-by-minute report

‘We are a very inconsistent football team’ – Cleverley

Watford need more reliable performers and less mavericks says Cleverley

Aimless performance in a season where we don’t know what the aims really are

Fran’s Watford Blog: Tom Cleverley was given a very warm reception as he applauded the crowd at the end, but it had been a terrible performance. The early injury to Baah had an impact on the game as a lot of our attacking threat disappeared when he left the field. But it was disappointing to see the players so passive allowing the opposition to completely dominate the game. The Hornets really didn’t get going until very late on. Again, Vata scored a terrific goal to warm up the crowd and there was a rally during time added on, but it was too little too late. The misery of the game just compounded the feeling of doom after the rumours the previous week that Cleverley’s job is in danger. I think Tom has done a terrific job with a limited squad. The players have actually looked like a team, and I have been far more entertained this season than I have in recent years. I really hope that Gino keeps faith with Tom, who I believe will go on to have a very successful career in management. If he doesn’t, I fear for our prospects for the rest of the season.


2nd October 2024- Championship, Preston North End 3 Watford 0

Report: Preston North End 3-0 Watford – Watford FCDownload

Watford Observer: RECAP: Preston 3 Watford 0

Preston 3 Watford 0 – how the action unfolded at Deepdale

Watford boss shares thoughts on Baah, Bayo and Ogbonna

Cleverley blasts Watford’s ‘mid-table’ mindset at Preston

Sky: Osmajic, who last week was charged by the Football Association with allegedly biting an opponent, responded to being brought into the starting line-up by boss Paul Heckingbottom by putting the hosts ahead with a finish eight minutes after the break, before adding a second in the 65th minute. A superb Ali McCann strike subsequently extended the advantage with 15 minutes remaining as Preston registered only their second win of the campaign and moved up a place to 21st in the table. Tom Cleverley’s Watford stay eighth.

BHappy: Saturday was significant in that it stemmed a wobble, a fine performance against a strong opponent that got a monkey off our backs and set us up for another positive run of results.  But… you’ve got to follow that up, it’s not a given.  From the off this performance was less focused, less disciplined, less urgent.  As if we felt we’d done the difficult bit, and that Preston away was somehow a lighter touch.  This division above all divisions doesn’t let you get away with that.  Tom pointing out pre-match that Preston finished above that last season indicated that he was aware of the risk but slightly alarming that it even needed saying.  

Fran’s Watford Blog: I am not one to boo or yell, but it was an absolutely dreadful performance from the Hornets. I don’t know where that came from after the two excellent showings in the past week. We wasted a couple of great chances in the first half, but once Preston took the lead, we never really looked like getting back into it. Preston were playing a pressing game and the players couldn’t cope with it. But what was most disappointing was the number of poor passes and the complete inability to control a ball demonstrated by a number of players who are much better than that. Preston are not a good team and looked vulnerable until they scored. Adding insult to injury, Osmajić and McCann both scored their first goals of the season. The game is best forgotten and we have a chance to make amends on Saturday. 

6th April 2024- Championship, Watford 0 Preston North End 0

https://www.skysports.com/football/watford-vs-preston-north-end/teams/485193

Sky: Tom Dele-Bashiru and Yaser Asprilla both had early shots for the hosts. A clearer opportunity was created by one wing-back Ryan Andrews, whose low cross fell into the path of the other, Jamal Lewis, after 13 minutes. Yet, when a cool head was needed, Lewis rushed his shot and lifted it high over the bar. The match was not aided by the difficult gusts of wind which made it difficult to construct passing moves with any confidence.

BBC: Watford left-back Lewis, on loan from Premier League Newcastle, blasted an 85th-minute effort wide as the Hornets drew a third successive game.

Watford Observer: RECAP: Watford 0 Preston 0

A match that put the stale into stalemate

Watford boss far from happy with another home draw

BHappy: what a bloody wonderful thing Preston North End’s gentry day is.  It’s not new, it’s been celebrated in this way for nearly twenty years…  and I’m sure I was aware of it before today.  But we’d never seen it, never hosted until now the annual celebration of Preston fans, players and friends recently lost.  There are bowler hats all over Vicarage Road.  Not just one or two blokes having a laugh, which would have been fine in itself, but sported by hundreds upon hundreds in the away end.  Many have gone the whole hog and suited up, enough such that the spivvy suits aren’t unusual either, they’re everywhere.  Before the game, we are told, a wreath has been laid at the grave of former PNE invincible and Watford boss John Goodall in the Vicarage Road cemetery.  And the away end is full.  Not just busy, full.  Anyone who’s done the reverse trip knows that Watford to Preston is a bloody long way, PNE don’t have the biggest fanbase in the division and an outside chance of a play-off place isn’t going to do the job on it’s own.  Folk have come down specifically for gentry day, that’s what fills their stand.  It’s absolutely beautiful.  It’s poetry.  PNE celebrating their own people, their own reality.

Fran’s Watford Blog: The half time guest was Danny Graham.  He had come down from the North-East with his family for the game.  I was reliably informed that his children were wearing this year’s shirts with Graham 9 on them.  He was asked if he’d seen Clevs as manager material when he played with him.  He said that he was only 19 then, but he certainly looks the part now and could be in it for the long haul.  He was impressed at how much the ground had been improved.  He also spoke proudly about being table tennis champion (he still has the trophy).  And his happy memories of the wear a vest for Danny day, in honour of the vests that he would reveal after scoring a goal.  He still has a vest from that day.  It was lovely to see him back at the Vic.  Oh, how we could do with a goalscorer like Danny Graham in the current team.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68696849

16th December 2023- Championship, Preston North End 1 Watford 5

https://www.skysports.com/football/preston-north-end-vs-watford/teams/484961

WFC.Net Jon Marks goal commentary: 1  2  3  4  5

Official site: Match dashboard

https://www.watfordfc.com/match-report/match-report-preston-north-end-1-5-watford

Sky: Vakoun Bayo netted a brace as Watford scored four second-half goals to earn a comprehensive 5-1 Championship comeback victory at Preston.

BBC: The Hornets made it three victories in their last five after Will Keane had touched in the opening goal for the hosts in the first half. Bayo headed in the equaliser just before the break against a Lilywhites side that has won just one of their past seven home games. Watford opened up in the second half as Matheus Martins, Edo Kayembe, Bayo again and Ismael Kone all found the net.

Watford Observer: RECAP: Preston 1 Watford 5

Can they do it in the north-west in the winter? Yes they can

Ismael said what Watford fans were thinking: ‘That is what we want’

No end of fun at North End – the 5-1 away win in pictures

Fran’s Watford Blog: Football really is fun again.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67667436