Preston North End vs Watford LIVE: Championship result, final score and reaction

Follow live coverage as Preston North End face Watford in the Championship today.

An increasingly competitive second tier in English football remains an intense and exciting competition, with the prize of a place in the Premier League on offer at the end of the season.

Relegation from the top flight last term means Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United are all back in the second tier this term and will be expected to push for play-off spots again at least, but so too will Norwich City, an improving Coventry and beaten play-off finalists Leeds United. At the other end of the table, Wayne Rooney is aiming to revive Plymouth’s fortunes after they narrowly avoided relegation last year, with Portsmouth and Derby the teams promoted from League One along with play-off final winners Oxford.

Follow live updates from today’s game in the live blog below.

Preston North End FC 3 - 0 Watford FC

Preston North End vs Watford

21:43

Match ends, Preston North End 3, Watford 0.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:40

Second Half ends, Preston North End 3, Watford 0.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:38

Foul by Ryan Andrews (Watford).

Preston North End vs Watford

21:38

Foul by Imrân Louza (Watford).

Preston North End vs Watford

21:34

Attempt blocked. Brad Potts (Preston North End) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:34

Fourth official has announced 7 minutes of added time.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:33

Foul by Ryan Ledson (Preston North End).

Preston North End vs Watford

21:32

Substitution, Preston North End. Emil Riis replaces Milutin Osmajic.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:32

Foul by Mattie Pollock (Watford).

Preston North End vs Watford

21:32

Corner, Watford. Conceded by Jordan Storey.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:32

Ken Sema (Watford) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:28

Moussa Sissoko (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:28

Substitution, Preston North End. Jeppe Okkels replaces Kaine Kesler-Hayden because of an injury.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:28

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:28

Substitution, Preston North End. Duane Holmes replaces Mads Frökjaer-Jensen.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:28

Substitution, Watford. Tom Ince replaces Edo Kayembe.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:28

Delay in match because of an injury Kaine Kesler-Hayden (Preston North End).

Preston North End vs Watford

21:28

Substitution, Watford. Rocco Vata replaces Kwadwo Baah.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:28

Corner, Watford. Conceded by Freddie Woodman.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:28

Attempt saved. Ryan Andrews (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Giorgi Chakvetadze.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:23

Attempt saved. Milutin Osmajic (Preston North End) right footed shot from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Kaine Kesler-Hayden.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:20

Foul by Imrân Louza (Watford).

Preston North End vs Watford

21:20

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:20

Delay in match because of an injury Freddie Woodman (Preston North End).

Preston North End vs Watford

21:19

Attempt saved. Vakoun Bayo (Watford) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Imrân Louza with a cross.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:18

Goal! Preston North End 3, Watford 0. Ali McCann (Preston North End) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the top left corner following a set piece situation.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:18

Foul by James Morris (Watford).

Preston North End vs Watford

21:18

Substitution, Preston North End. Brad Potts replaces Robert Brady.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:18

Substitution, Preston North End. Ryan Ledson replaces Stefán Thórdarson.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:15

Attempt missed. Vakoun Bayo (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Giorgi Chakvetadze with a through ball.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:15

Offside, Preston North End. Ali McCann is caught offside.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:13

Offside, Watford. Kwadwo Baah is caught offside.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:13

Benjamin Whiteman (Preston North End) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:13

Foul by Benjamin Whiteman (Preston North End).

Preston North End vs Watford

21:12

Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by James Morris.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:10

Foul by Vakoun Bayo (Watford).

Preston North End vs Watford

21:09

Foul by Kwadwo Baah (Watford).

Preston North End vs Watford

21:08

Goal! Preston North End 2, Watford 0. Milutin Osmajic (Preston North End) right footed shot from the centre of the box.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:06

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:06

Substitution, Watford. Ken Sema replaces Yasser Larouci.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:06

Delay in match because of an injury Milutin Osmajic (Preston North End).

Preston North End vs Watford

21:06

Foul by Mads Frökjaer-Jensen (Preston North End).

Preston North End vs Watford

21:04

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:04

Delay in match because of an injury Freddie Woodman (Preston North End).

Preston North End vs Watford

21:00

Attempt saved. Ryan Andrews (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is saved.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:58

Attempt missed. Milutin Osmajic (Preston North End) header from very close range is too high. Assisted by Kaine Kesler-Hayden with a cross.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:57

Substitution, Watford. Vakoun Bayo replaces Angelo Ogbonna.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:57

Substitution, Watford. Ryan Andrews replaces Festy Ebosele.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:56

Goal! Preston North End 1, Watford 0. Milutin Osmajic (Preston North End) right footed shot from the centre of the box.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:56

Corner, Watford. Conceded by Benjamin Whiteman.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:56

Attempt blocked. Moussa Sissoko (Watford) header from the right side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by Giorgi Chakvetadze with a cross.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:56

Corner, Watford. Conceded by Kaine Kesler-Hayden.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:54

Foul by Benjamin Whiteman (Preston North End).

Preston North End vs Watford

20:52

Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Yasser Larouci.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:52

Offside, Preston North End. Milutin Osmajic is caught offside.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:52

Attempt saved. Milutin Osmajic (Preston North End) header from very close range is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Ali McCann with a headed pass.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:52

Attempt blocked. Liam Lindsay (Preston North End) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:52

Attempt missed. Jordan Storey (Preston North End) left footed shot from very close range misses to the left following a corner.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:49

Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Mattie Pollock.

Preston North End vs Watford

21:00

Attempt blocked. Jordan Storey (Preston North End) header from very close range is blocked. Assisted by Benjamin Whiteman with a cross.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:49

Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Mattie Pollock.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:49

Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Angelo Ogbonna.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:48

Second Half begins Preston North End 0, Watford 0.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:32

First Half ends, Preston North End 0, Watford 0.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:31

Attempt missed. Festy Ebosele (Watford) right footed shot from the right side of the box.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:32

Fourth official has announced 1 minutes of added time.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:31

Corner, Watford. Conceded by Andrew Hughes.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:31

Attempt blocked. Mattie Pollock (Watford) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Yasser Larouci with a cross.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:28

Foul by Kaine Kesler-Hayden (Preston North End).

Preston North End vs Watford

20:25

Robert Brady (Preston North End) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:25

Foul by Benjamin Whiteman (Preston North End).

Preston North End vs Watford

20:21

Foul by Mads Frökjaer-Jensen (Preston North End).

Preston North End vs Watford

20:21

Attempt missed. Jordan Storey (Preston North End) header from the right side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Benjamin Whiteman with a cross following a set piece situation.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:20

Robert Brady (Preston North End) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:17

Attempt saved. Benjamin Whiteman (Preston North End) right footed shot from outside the box is saved.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:16

Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Angelo Ogbonna.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:12

Attempt missed. Kaine Kesler-Hayden (Preston North End) right footed shot from outside the box.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:10

Attempt missed. Robert Brady (Preston North End) left footed shot from long range on the right is just a bit too high. Assisted by Andrew Hughes following a set piece situation.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:09

Liam Lindsay (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:08

Attempt saved. Milutin Osmajic (Preston North End) header from very close range is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Robert Brady with a cross.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:08

Attempt saved. Kwadwo Baah (Watford) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Imrân Louza with a through ball.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:06

Jordan Storey (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:06

Corner, Watford. Conceded by Robert Brady.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:03

Attempt blocked. Kwadwo Baah (Watford) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:03

Foul by Andrew Hughes (Preston North End).

Preston North End vs Watford

20:01

Offside, Preston North End. Robert Brady is caught offside.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:01

Benjamin Whiteman (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Preston North End vs Watford

20:00

Foul by Ali McCann (Preston North End).

Preston North End vs Watford

19:55

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Preston North End vs Watford

19:55

Delay in match because of an injury Kaine Kesler-Hayden (Preston North End).

Preston North End vs Watford

19:55

Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by James Morris.

Preston North End vs Watford

19:55

Attempt saved. Kwadwo Baah (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Moussa Sissoko.

Preston North End vs Watford

19:55

Foul by Mads Frökjaer-Jensen (Preston North End).

Preston North End vs Watford

19:48

Foul by Edo Kayembe (Watford).

Preston North End vs Watford

19:48

Andrew Hughes (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Preston North End vs Watford

19:46

First Half begins.

Preston North End vs Watford

19:15

Lineups are announced and players are warming up.

Preston North End vs Watford

17:45

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