Soccer
Paul Heckingbottom admits Preston ‘got what we deserved’ in loss to Watford
Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom admitted his side “got what we deserved” as they let slip a first-half lead to lose 2-1 to Watford and stay bottom of the Championship.
Callum Lang scored his third goal in two matches to put Preston ahead in the sixth minute, but goals from Edo Kayembe and Mamadou Doumbia turned the game around for the inconsistent Hornets.
Heckingbottom, who has seen his side lose five of their six league games, did not appear for his scheduled press conference but told BBC Radio Lancashire: “We got what we deserved. We should have been out of sight and were comfortable until Watford scored their first goal.
“How we defended their first and second goals is what’s cost us, along with not taking our chances.
“Those goals were really poor and unless we sort it out, we’ll go on getting what we deserve.”
He continued: “The big moments, unfortunately we couldn’t take them. (The second goal) should have been dealt with.
“We’ll have to rest and recover from this, and prepare for a tough game and one that we want to put right.”
Watford boss Alessio Dionisi hailed Kayembe for the midfielder’s “fantastic” role in setting up the Hornets’ win.
They looked dead and buried at half-time but Dionisi’s treble substitution at half-time and Kayembe’s 69th-minute leveller set the home side on the way before Doumbia headed the 76th-minute winner from Iker Bravo’s cross.
Dionisi said: “Tonight was a big, big, big result.
“We had players like Omar Traore and Jordan Zemloura, who were only 50 and 40 per cent ready, but they wanted to play.
“Early in the match, we were just so-so, but this is the situation – it’s difficult with a young team.
“Edo is fantastic. In the last match he played left-back. Before that, he played as a winger.
“I know some of our supporters weren’t happy in the first half, but Watford isn’t Real Madrid or Barcelona.”
Dionisi also praised goalkeeper Federico Ravaglia for keeping the score down before Watford shook off a dreadful first-half display with the second-half fightback.
The Hornets’ Italian chief said of the 6ft 6in former Bologna stopper: “I’m so happy with him. We’re lucky to have him.”
Half-time sub Othmane Maamma set up Kayembe’s opener with a left-wing cross and Dionisi revealed he had not been happy with the 20-year-old Moroccan when he took over in June.
“At that time, he was so-so. In July he was better, and now he works well,” he said.
“I’ve had a good reaction from him. It’s important that he goes on working.”
