RS Sport

Ollie Watkins’ 5th goal of the season was enough to give Brentford a 3-2 victory at Deepdale.

Nico Yennaris opened the scoring for the visitors, heading into an empty net following a Chris Maxwell save.

Sean Maguire levelled for North End with a brilliant individual goal, before Romaine Sawyers put Brentford back ahead.

Tom Barkhuizen made it 2-2 but Watkins’ strike from 6 yards was enough to give Dean Smith’s side the win.

The first half started with controversy, Maguire booked for diving on 2 minutes just outside the Brentford area.

Preston dominated the early play and good work from Jordan Hugill to hold off the defender gave Barkhuizen a good chance on the right hand side, his half volley going over the crossbar.

Brentford began to put pressure on however, Henrik Dalsgaard having their first real chance. The Dane found space on the right hand side and got his shot away but it was wide of the right hand post.

Josh Earl then managed to win the ball on halfway, Maguire’s through ball then found Barkhuizen, who cut the ball across to Hugill on the left hand edge of the box but his curling attempt went narrowly wide of the right post.

Florian Jozefzoon, who joined Dean Smith’s side from PSV in the summer following a loan spell, managed to find space on the right and cut inside, his shot was at first blocked by Woods with the Dutchman’s rebound well saved by Maxwell down to his left.

Preston’s next opportunity came on 19 minutes, a Brentford free kick punched away by Maxwell – the counter was led by Johnson who found Robinson on the edge of the box but his left footed shot went wide of the post.

Ben Pearson and Andreas Bjelland were involved in an off the ball altercation on 22 minutes but both were let off with a warning.

The opening goal was scored by the visitors on 24 minutes, the threatening Jozefzoon finding more space on the right hand side. He beat Woods for pace before getting his shot away, Maxwell saving well for a shot that looked destined for the left corner. The rebound however fell to Yennaris, the midfielder heading into an empty net from close range.

Preston looked for a way back into the game and almost found it, Sean Maguire heading narrowly over from close range on 25 minutes.

Lasse Vibe had a promising chance following a Brentford counter, he went down in the box under challenge but the ref gave neither a penalty nor a dive.

Maguire was involved in a penalty appeal soon after, the Irishman having the better of Dalsgaard in the box who appeared to make contact with the Irishman although the referee deemed it to be too little to award a spot kick.

Preston’s equaliser came on 40 minutes, good work from Robinson in the centre meant he was able to find Maguire, who ran all the way to the edge of the box and fired past Daniel Bentley to score his 4th goal in Preston colours.

There was then worry for Brentford as the goalscorer Yennaris went down – Alex Neil said after the game that he had not seen the incident although the consensus was from those that did see it that Hugill had made accidental contact with the former Arsenal man. There was a stoppage of 10 minutes as he was stretchered off.

HT – Preston 1-1 Brentford
The second half featured few clear cut chances until 56 minutes, a Brentford free kick finding its way to the substitute Sawyers on the edge of the box. Although the Brentford number 19 scuffed his first shot, he regained his footing and his deflected second effort went past Maxwell to make it 2-1 to the visitors.

Robinson broke forward for the home side on 65 minutes, his right footed shot landing narrowly wide of the post just seconds after Barkhuizen had another penalty appeal turned down.

Preston drew level just a minute later, a tussle in the box followed by a cross which was cleared only as far as Barkhuizen, Preston’s number 29 firing home on the volley past the helpless Bentley.

The goal seemed to lift Alex Neil’s side as they went in search of a winner.

It was Brentford, however, who retook the lead from a counter attack, with a ball in from Jozefzoon finding Brentford’s top goalscorer Watkins unmarked and he slotted home from 6 yards out for his 5th strike of the season.

Josh Harrop came on for Preston on 69 minutes and immediately threatened, producing a shot on the edge of the box following a mazy run but it was blocked by a resolute Brentford defence.

At the other end, a Brentford corner found Dalsgaard unmarked at the back post but his header was well blocked.

Substitute Sergi Canos fired a free kick narrowly wide of Maxwell’s right hand post on 81 minutes.

Neil made one last change to try and bring about an equaliser, Arsenal loanee Stephy Mavididi coming on for the goalscorer Barkhuizen.

6 minutes were added on with Preston pushing for an equaliser, with Horgan firing a ball in across goal but it was claimed comfortably by Bentley.

That proved to be the final action with Brentford going back to London with a crucial 3 points.

FT – Preston 2-3 Brentford

Preston XI; Maxwell, Fisher, Huntington ©, Woods, Earl, Pearson, Johnson, Barkhuizen (off Mavididi 84), Robinson (off Harrop 70), Maguire (off Horgan 77), Hugill

Subs; Hudson (GK), Boyle, O’Connor, Harrop (on 70), Gallagher, Horgan (on 77), Mavididi (on 84)