Preston slipped to defeat on Tuesday night, losing 1-0 at home to promotion-chasing Watford.
North End were buoyant after beating Blackburn Rovers 2-1 on Friday night, and were looking to build on that with a strong display against the Hornets.
It was a tight game; Preston created two big openings in the first half, but Ched Evans missed the target with both of them – and were ultimately made to pay.
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Tom Barkhuizen’s clumsy trip on Joao Pedro handed Watford a penalty, and the Brazilian stepped up to fire past Daniel Iversen for the winner.
Preston pushed for an equaliser but just couldn’t find it, with Watford taking all three points back to Hertfordshire with them.
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This was a frustrating night for North End, and one that could have gone very differently, but there were still some positives to take from the game.
Defender Jordan Storey turned in a strong performance at centre back alongside Liam Lindsay, impressing for the second time in a matter of days.
The 23-year-old was hailed as ‘immense’ and ‘brilliant’ by fans last night, believing that he is forming a strong partnership with Liam Lindsay.
Others called him ‘simply magnificent’, and there is renewed hope that he can really kick on for a strong end to the season having blown hot and cold since his £750,000 move from Exeter City in 2018.