Milutin Osmajic ended his goal drought to give Preston North End a rare positive against Stoke City on Saturday afternoon.
This was a weekend to forget for North End.
After seeing the midweek clash with Southampton called off, PNE had to try and find a win against struggling Stoke.
This ended up being a very flat performance and North End fell behind to an Andrew Hughes own goal.
Substitute Milutin Osmajic pulled PNE level but then saw Stoke bundle in another goal, restoring their lead as they secured a 2-1 win.
North End just didn’t quite have enough to win this one but to lose it felt bitterly disappointing, especially with play-off hopes now dented.
There hasn’t been much for PNE fans to shout about this weekend but Osmajic’s goal provides something of a boost…
Milutin Osmajic ends his goal drought
Osmajic headed home Mads Frøkjær-Jensen’s superb cross to end a goal drought stretching back to November.
The Montenegrin – North End’s record signing after joining for around £2.15million from Cadiz – had enjoyed a decent start at Deepdale.
Four goals in his first 12 Championship appearances was an impressive opening but his goal against Cardiff City on the 245th of November was his last before Saturday’s header.
Yes, Osmajic has been forced to sit on the bench a lot of late, but he had gone 14 games without a goal and had looked a little short of confidence in front of goal.
Osmajic took his chance brilliantly against Stoke and so nearly had a second late on, just narrowly failing to connect with an Alan Browne cross.
That first-half goal just takes the pressure off Osmajic and will hopefully see him generate some momentum in the final weeks of the season.
It’s difficult to break into the side with Will Keane and Emil Riis forging an impressive partnership but all Osmajic can do right now is take his chances of the bench – and on Saturday, he did just that.