Watford 2-0 Preston

Heidar Helguson marked his return to the Watford starting line-up with an early goal to help them on their way to victory over Preston at Vicarage Road.

Helguson headed home after nine minutes and midfielder Tom Cleverley, on loan from Manchester United, doubled the lead just after the half-hour mark.

Watford goalkeeper Scott Loach then showed a safe pair of hands to deny Preston a way back into the game.

Helguson could have had a second but missed with a close-range header.

Watford manager Malky Mackay:
"After last Saturday's disappointment [losing 5-0 to West Brom] it was great to get back to Vicarage Road and get three points against a very experienced Preston team.

"I thought to get the clean sheet, play as well as we did and create as many chances as we did, I'm delighted.

"They trained hard this week and it's great to see it work on the pitch and applying themselves the way they did as well.

"Scott Loach's save with 10 minutes to go was fantastic but I think our back four were incredibly resilient and stood up to every challenge that experienced Preston forwards threw at them.

"But not just the way we nullified it, I thought we had some great chances and but for some good defending and goalkeeping it could have been another couple."

Preston boss Alan Irvine:
"We were second best all over the pitch. In the second half we were better, but we couldn't have been any worse and I thought it was a poor performance.

"We didn't do the things that we need to do. We know what we need to do to win games in this division and we didn't do them.

"We can only win games in this division by being properly organised, by everybody knowing their jobs, by everybody doing their jobs, by everybody competing, by everybody working hard and we didn't do it.

"We were second best all over the pitch and we won't win games if we're like that."