Lack of a cutting edge is a familiar tale - Preston fan Tim Mercer frustrated by a lack of goals

It was the familiar tale of the season so far, with the Lilywhites lacking any kind of cutting edge in the final third of the pitch. Add to this a couple of defensive errors, one in each half, and it was two goals conceded from an otherwise solid back line.

The game started brightly for Preston, with them dominating most of the opening 45 minutes in a way that gave this fan hope that today the forward players would finally find the net and gain that all important ingredient of confidence.

Alas it was not to be, as some decent opportunities again went begging. One example involved Troy Parrot being put in on goal with a decent through pass.

Had this young player already had two or three league goals under his belt this season I have no doubt an assured touch and placement past the visiting keeper would have been the result.

Instead, a heavy touch took the ball too far in front of him and the chance was gone. He was not the only culprit and so it was all the more deflating when, near to half time, an error by the otherwise excellent Ben Whiteman near the edge of the box allowed a Blades striker in to score off the inside of the post.

The second half saw the visitors more in the ascendency, but with the game quite even overall and the Blades looking comfortable with their lead. This led to Ryan Lowe making a triple substitution in an attempt to get back into the game, including the replacement of Álvaro Fernández; the Manchester United loanee having made his first start in a League game.

I have to say I cannot remember such an intensity of boos around me for a substitution, including cries of ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’ as one of the most creative and positive players left the field of play. At around the 75-minute mark another unusual error, this time by Andrew Hughes, let in Sheffield for their second goal and that was that.

Whilst I don’t like using the word ‘crisis’ lightly, it would not take many more performances and results like this until we are in one.