[themaclad]

Watford 0 Preston North End 0

Watford line-up: Bachmann; Porteous, Sierralta, Hoedt; Andrews, Kayembe (Chakvetadze, 62), Dele-Bashiru, Lewis; Bayo (Rajović, 61), Asprilla, Dennis (Koné, 81). Subs not used: Hamer, Ince, Livermore, Pollock, Martins, Morris.

PNE line-up: Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Cunningham; Brady, Whatmough, McCann, Hughes; Keane; Osmajić (Frøkjær, 82), Riis (Stewart, 82). Subs not used: Cornell, Woodburn, Holmes, T.Mawene, Best, N.Mawene, Seary.

Attendance: 19,374 (2,022 PNE fans).

Referee: Mr J Bell.

Unlike last year's Gentry Day mauling at Boro, this was a better result, bowler hats a plenty in Hertfordshire of which and every credit to the hosts who also played their part in the celebration.
A warm day in Watford, even the sun came out for a while I know bizarre or what, met some Saints fans on the way down at the services seemed a decent bunch, that will change a week on Tuesday.
Team wise to say we were struggling was an understatement, the absence of Browne and Millar in addition to the long term absence of Whiteman and Potts highlighted our lack of depth in the squad, both Mawene brothers were on teh ench, one surprise no Mads FJ in the starting line up Whatmough in central midfield.
The first period was the more entertaining of the two, we startd on top but the home side always looked dangerous on the break, a couple of half chanes past the left hand post of Woodman before the first clear chance to the home side fell to Lewis who put it into outer space.
Whatmough sent a header narrowly wide and just before the break Hughes seemed to be in a good position but put his shot wide.
The home side dominated possession but a lot of that was due to passing the ball between the back three.
Cunningham did an excellent job on winding Bayo up although did get lucky not to get booked for a deliberate block on a player.



The raucous atmosphere in the way end quitened during the less exciting second period, Watford improved with the introduction Chadvetadve who gave them a pace, again probably the best chance fell to Lewis he was a bit clloser this time. A free kick from Rajovic went just over the top but the best chance fell to us Keane's first time shot looked goal bound until curling away from the onion bag at the last minute, with that we rather disappointingly shut up shop bit strange seeing we needed to win.
Play offs still on but hanging by a thread suspect the next two homes games will be crucial wins needed.

Finally as a stadium find Vicarage Road decent although third visit had two goalless draws and lost the other to an own goal in the 93rd minute, the pitch was immaculate, the programmes decent as well, biggest shock was the size of the Memorium stone in the neighbouring grave yard which must have cost 25000 at least, the home fans will know what I mean on that.


Watford interim head coach Tom Cleverley told BBC Three Counties Radio:

"It's not where I want us to be and it's not where I want us to get to in these sort of games.

"We have to try and find the balance of going for the win and then not risking a loss, and I think maybe we were a little bit conservative with that today.

"I thought we just lacked that little bit of killer edge in and around the box.

"I thought we improved the tempo, improved the quality in the second half and we were pushing and with just not having that final bit.

Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"We've got a valuable point which hopefully will help us.

"But I think we did enough to win it, we had some great chances, some good set plays in there, we just didn't have that clinical edge at the top end of the pitch today where we've had it in games.

"We were solid at the back, we had a back five at times which was important for us today against a good team, and we still had that goal threat, we just didn't manage to put it in the back of the net.

"At this stage of the season you need three points, but as I've always said, if you can't win it