Preston’s Sky Bet Championship play-off hopes were dealt a blow by a tame 0-0 draw against Watford at Vicarage Road.
Richard Hughes and Will Keane missed gilt-edged chances for the visitors, for whom an away point from a game played in a swirling, unpredictable wind might have been seen as a positive earlier in the season.
Instead, with many of their rivals winning, it means that Ryan Lowe’s side are now seven points adrift of the final play-off position.
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 created by one wing-back Ryan Andrews, whose low cross fell into the path of the other, 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 Hughes eight yards out but the Preston midfielder’s skewed shot almost ran out for a throw-in.
With the second half settling back into the pattern of possession lacking a true sense of purpose, Watford captain Wes Hoedt decided to seize the initiative with a 30-yard piledriver towards the far top corner which flew narrowly wide of its target.
Still, though, it appeared that Preston’s need for three points was the greater and Keane volleyed narrowly wide from a clever Emil Riis flicked pass.
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.
Al-Ahli 1-2 Al-Hilal: Mitrovic double keeps Saudi champions perfect
Aleksandar Mitrovic proved to be the difference once again for Al-Hilal as the reigning Saudi Pro League champions beat Al-Ahli 2-1 on Saturday.
Al-Ahil went in front with 12 minutes played when Gabri Veiga was sent through on goal by Franck Kessie, with the Spaniard rounding Yassine Bounou to open the scoring at King Abdullah Sports City.
The hosts went close to doubling their advantage soon after, with Riyad Mahrez and Ivan Toney going close, before Sergej Milinkovic-Savic saw his effort cleared off the line at the other end.
But parity was restored early in the second half through Al-Hilal's master marksman, as Mitrovic nodded home a trademark header from Renan Lodi's delivery.
Al-Ahil were then awarded a penalty when Rayan Hamed fouled Malcom inside the box, only for Mitrovic to see his effort saved by Abdulrahman Al Sanbi.
However, the Serbian was given the chance to redeem himself after the VAR deemed encroachment had taken place, and he made no mistake at the second time of asking to net his 14th goal of the season in all competitions.
Data Debrief: Mitrovic the main man
Mitrovic has been in fine form since his move to Saudi Arabia, with his latest double taking his tally to 54 goals in as many appearances for Al-Hilal.
This time out, he contributed 1.16 expected goals (xG) tally to the visitors' 2.24 total, while also recording the most touches in the opposition box (six).
Malcom also impressed for Al-Hilal, creating more chances (three) than anyone on the pitch, with his 14 passes into the final third a total only bettered by Ruben Neves (18) and Salem Al Dawsari (15) among his team-mates.
Championship: Sheff Utd joint-top after win over Luton, Rooney sent off but Plymouth prevail
Sheffield United maintained their unbeaten start in the Championship and moved joint-top of the table with a 2-0 home win over Luton Town.
Jesurun Rak-Sakyi marked his 22nd birthday in style, scoring a goal in each half, as the Blades brushed aside their struggling visitors on Saturday.
The youngster was denied in the opening stages, but still ensured United got off to a strong start, firing in an emphatic finish after just 12 minutes.
He then got his second just seven minutes after the restart, sliding it through Thomas Kaminski's legs.
The Blades should have had a third late on when Vinicius Souza struck the post, but they had already done enough to take advantage of Sunderland dropping points on Friday to join them on 19 points at the summit.
Luton, meanwhile, are winless in three as they sit just above the relegation zone in 21st place.
Elsewhere, Plymouth Argyle snatched a dramatic 2-1 home win over Blackburn Rovers, after manager Wayne Rooney had been sent off.
Michael Obafemi's 15th-minute goal looked enough to secure a win until Joe Rankin-Costello equalised with four minutes left of normal time.
Rooney was subsequently sent to the stands for his protests as he felt there was a foul in the build-up, meaning he was not on the touchline when Morgan Whittaker headed in a last-gasp winner in the seventh minute of stoppage time.
Watford also secured a late victory, with Tom Cleverley's side coming from behind to beat Middlesbrough 2-1 at Vicarage Road.
It initially looked like they were in danger of falling to a second consecutive defeat, having failed to create chances before George Edmundson took advantage of slack defending to put Boro ahead.
However, the Hornets' substitutions swung the game back in their favour, with Edo Kayembe pulling them level before Kwadwo Baah's half-volley secured the points in the 87th minute.
Al-Nassr 3-0 Al-Orubah: Mane double helps hosts close in on leaders
Sadio Mane scored a goal in either half, helping Al-Nassr cruise to a 3-0 win over Al-Orubah and close in on the top two in the Saudi Pro League.
Cristiano Ronaldo had given the hosts the lead from the spot, setting them on their way to a dominant victory.
After a slow start, Jean Seri was penalised for a handball, and Ronaldo made no mistake from the spot. After a stuttering run-up, he coolly slotted his strike into the bottom-left corner.
Mane got his first on the stroke of half-time, latching onto Ronaldo's pull-back before firing his low shot into the far side of the net.
He could have had a hat-trick, having also hit the woodwork and squandered a first-time shot by slicing it wide, but he did get his second in the 71st minute, guiding Nawaf Bu Washi's cross past Gaetan Coucke.
Cristian Tello came closest to a consolation for the visitors, smashing a long-range effort off the crossbar.
Data Debrief: Mane's time to shine
Mane, so far this season, has been providing the spark as a playmaker after registering five assists in Al-Nassr's first five games in the Saudi Pro League.
Today, however, he regained his scoring touch, getting his first two goals of the campaign.
He had the most shots (five), and shots on target (three), as he accumulated 0.97 expected goals (xG), while his seven touches in the box was the most of any player on the field.
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