Grayson content with PNE draw

Preston North End boss Simon Grayson felt there were positives to be taken from Saturday's goalless draw at Bolton Wanderers.
PNE boss Simon GraysonPNE boss Simon Grayson
PNE boss Simon Grayson

The Macron Stadium clash was not one to get the pulse racing, with few chances at either end.

It rounded-off the friendly programme for the majority of the squad, although a couple of first-team players might play in a PNE XI against Lancaster City at Giant Axe on Tuesday night.

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Grayson: "I think there were some good points to be taken from it, while there were some things we need to work on and could have done a little bit better.

"We played a different system to what we had done in pre-season, I thought we played that quite well given we hadn't done so too often.

"On Friday we were going to do some work on the system but Paul Gallagher and Jermaine Beckford pulled out of training half-way through so I didn't know if they were going to be fit until the morning of the game.

"Bolton ended-up playing the same system and we more or less cancelled each other out.

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"I thought we worked hard, the shape and discipline was good and we played some nice football at times.

"At times, the decision-making needed to be a bit better with the odd pass.

"But the only shot Bolton had on target was in the last five or 10 minutes.

"Overall, it was another good work out, more minutes for people and another formation tried."

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North End were without skipper Tom Clarke and midfielder Alan Browne.

However, there was another half-hour run out for Tommy Spurr as he strives for fitness after an ankle injury.

Grayson said: "Tom missed the game with a virus and Browney was rested on doctor's orders after getting a bang on the head at Morecambe. He will be back in training on Monday morning.

"We have got a clear week now. We have a game at Lancaster on Tuesday for the young lads which one or two might play in because they have missed a little bit of game time.

"It is now countdown time to the start of the season at Reading on Saturday."