Watford and Preston outside play-off places after draw

Watford and Preston played out a tedious 0-0 draw at Vicarage Road that served neither side’s promotion ambitions.

The contest had all the excitement of a pre-season friendly for much of the afternoon, with Preston keeper Freddie Woodman producing the only two saves of note during 90 forgettable minutes.

For visitors Preston, this was their ninth goalless draw of the season, while Watford have now drawn four of their past six games.

The first half did not offer up a single clear-cut chance. Preston’s organisation away from Deepdale has bred a comfort in Ryan Lowe’s side that is absent at home.

Happy to sit off Watford until they ventured over the halfway line, the visitors quickly squeezed the space in front of their back four, offering home playmaker Joao Pedro no room in which to pick his passes.

Pedro did manage an eighth-minute shot from a Craig Cathcart cross, but it lacked the power to beat Preston keeper Freddie Woodman.

That effort apart, the only time Slaven Bilic’s side quickened the pulse of their supporters during a flat first-half display was when Ismaila Sarr skilfully created space on the edge of the Preston area only to see his low cross evade his team-mates.

By contrast, the visitors served up a number of shots in the opening half, although all of them were from at least 20 yards.

First Ched Evans then Alvaro Fernando fired efforts that found the midriff of Watford keeper Daniel Bachmann.

Both players had a further effort each, but it was Alan Browne who came closest with a free-kick four minutes before the interval that dipped just too late.

Their failure to create chances helps explain why only Cardiff have scored fewer Championship goals this season.

Bilic was clearly as frustrated as the Vicarage Road crowd by his side’s inept display, bringing on the twin attacking threat of Yaser Asprilla and Keinan Davis for the second half.

That did at least create some excitement, as did a Pedro shot that was saved low down at his near post by Woodman.

As the need for victory was transmitted from the stands to the pitch, Watford went close twice inside four minutes.

Davis burst through only for Woodman to race from his line to block the striker’s shot superbly. Then Sarr turned smartly and instantly sent in a shot that skimmed agonisingly wide.

The remainder of the match passed without notable incident, as befitting a dire contest.