LOWE: WE ARE STILL IN MIX FOR PLAY-OFFS
RYAN Lowe believes the point his Pres- ton North End side gained in a draw against Watford at Vicarage Road could still be a valuable one in securing a play-off spot.
Lowe said: “We got a valuable point which hopefully will help us, but I thought we did enough to win the game.
“At this stage of the season you need three points. We came here to win and had some great chances, but we just didn’t have that clinical edge at the top edge of the pitch today.
“We had to make it a bit dogged because Watford have got some Premier League quality players. We had a goal threat, but just couldn’t put it in the back of the net.
“It’s been difficult all season, it’s not just now. All we have tried to do is stay in the top half as long as we can.”
While Lowe and Preston continue to eye the play-offs with home fixtures to come this week against Huddersfield Town and then Norwich City, the club currently occupying the final playoff position, his is aware that other, larger Championship clubs are still involved to the relegation battle.
Lowe added: “It says a lot about where the club is that we are still looking up. For us, Preston North End, to still be in the mix with six games to try and get in the playother, offs is a massive achievement. We’ve got two massive games coming up this week. And we’ve got an opportunity to get six points because we’re playing at home.”
Victory felt like an imperative for the visitors on Preston’s designated Gentry Day when supporters dress up, many of them sporting bowler hats to remember fans of the club who have passed away in the past 12 months.
They might have taken a fifth-minute lead only for Jack Whatmough’s header from a Robbie Brady corner to drop harmlessly wide.
Watford’s season has been given a boost of energy by interim manager Tom Cleverley with optimism replacing the sterility of the Valerien Ismael era.
Tom Dele-Bashiru and Yaser Asprilla both had early shots for the hosts. A clearer opportunity was fashioned by one wing-back Ryan Andrews, whose low cross fell into the path of the Jamal Lewis, after 13 minutes. Yet, when a cool head was needed, Lewis rushed his shot and lifted it high over the bar. The match was not aided by the difficult gusts of wind which made it difficult to construct passing moves with any confidence.
The stalemate ought to have been broken as the game entered first-half stoppage time. A high looping cross from Greg Cunningham dropped at the feet of Richard Hughes eight yards out.
However, so surprised was the Preston midfielder that his skewed shot almost ran out for a throw-in.
Lowe replaced both of his strikers in an effort to inject fresh impetus into his side, but the game drifted away in the final minutes into a disappointing stalemate.