Report: Watford 1-2 Preston North End

• Osmajić strikes twice against Hornets again
• Kwadwo Baah forced off with early injury
• Ebosele and Louza also forced changes
• Vata's late stunner can't inspire last-gasp comeback
• Preston complete double over Watford

Milutin Osmajić struck twice as Watford slipped to a disappointing home defeat against Preston North End.

The forward, who also scored a brace when Preston beat the Hornets 3-0 at Deepdale in October, punished a lacklustre display from a Golden Boys side which never recovered from Kwadwo Baah’s early injury.

With Festy Ebosele and Imrân Louza also having to leave the field, this was an evening to forget for Tom Cleverley’s men who lost their third game in a row at The Vic.

Rocco Vata's superb strike did set up a granstand finish but it was a case of too little, too late as the Lilywhites hung on for the points.

Cleverley made just a single change from the 2-0 away win at Derby County on Saturday, with Moussa Sissoko replacing Tom Dele-Bashiru in midfield while wearing the captain’s armband.

Giorgi Chakvetadze was fit enough for the bench after missing the Pride Park trip with a hamstring niggle, while goalkeeper Jonathan Bond was fit enough to start.

It was a significant night for one of the weekend’s goalscorers Edo Kayembe, who was named for his 100th appearance in a Hornets shirt.

Watford suffered an early blow when Baah pulled up with an injury in the 12th minute, forcing Ebosele to come on in his place.

The Hornets needed to reassess but there was no time to do so as the visitors forced their way in front shortly after the change.

Jayden Meghoma muscled past James Abankwah and with no whistle from the referee forthcoming, the Brentford loanee’s low cross was turned past Bond by Osmajić.

The Hornets were struggling to get going and there was danger in their own box again when Bond was forced to use his footwork to turn round Osmajić as the striker looked to pounce.

Some more pinball close to Watford’s goal then caused another scare, with Kayembe’s high boot needed to clear the ball away before the ref stopped play.

Cleverley’s side desperately needed a foothold but Preston kept coming, and the visitors had a great chance to double their advantage when Mads Frøkjær-Jensen cut back to Ali McCann.

The North End skipper blasted at goal from close range and forced Bond into a fine stop, with Francisco Sierralta producing a flying header to clear away on the line as McCann tried to nod home the rebound.

Preston keeper Freddie Woodman had been a virtual spectator and Vata’s harmless shot wide in the 36th minute was a rare sight of goal for the Hornets.

Louza then whipped a useful looking free-kick into the area but nobody was on hand to provide a killer touch and it swung out of play.

Cleverley opted to replace right-back Abankwah with Yasser Larouci during an eventful half-time break which saw Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom sent off for foul and abusive language.

The Hornets were hoping for a much-improved showing but things began in the same vein with a good Preston chance inside the opening minute.

Stefán Teitur Þórðarson chipped a pass over the defence for Osmajić, whose low shot was tipped behind by Bond.

There was then another injury setback as Ebosele, himself subbed on, needed to be withdrawn with Chakvetadze coming on.

The Georgian looked to make an immediate impact, finding Woodman’s gloves after coming into space on the right.

It was a slight spark for the Hornets, but Osmajić was to quickly grab his second to leave Watford with a mountain to climb.

The hosts did not learn their lesson from the striker’s chance at the start of the half as he this time escaped down the opposite flank before thumping a finish past Bond.

Frøkjaer-Jensen lashed wide as Preston searched for a third, before the Hornets’ best opening in the 70th minute. 

Some patient build-up play led to a dangerous Larouci cross being met by a powerful Vakoun Bayo header, but the effort was straight at Woodman.

A late roll of the dice saw Dele-Bashiru and Mamadou Doumbia brought on for Louza – who limped off – and Kayembe.

Preston sub Sam Greenwood forced Bond into a low stop before Sierralta’s looping header from a Chakvetadze free-kick saw Woodman tip over the bar.

No route back into the game looked likely, but Vata's superb finish from distance provided hope from nowhere in the 90th minute.

The young forward took aim from outside the area and curled an excellent effort past Woodman to usher in seven minutes of stoppage time.

Watford pressed and probed, but they could not find what would have been the most dramatic of equalisers as it ended in defeat.

Watford: Bond (GK), Abankwah (Larouci HT), Sierralta, Pollock, Ngakia; Kayembe (Doumbia 77), Louza (Dele-Bashiru 77); Baah (Ebosele 14 (Chakvetadze 52)), Sissoko (C), Vata; Bayo.

Unused subs: Roberts (GK), Ogbonna, Porteous, Ince.