Bristol City 0 Preston North End 0 match report: Ashton Gate trip brings first away point of the season for PNE

The scoreline didn't reflect the nature of the game, with good chances created at both ends during a game which ebbed from end-to-end.

Sean Maguire hit the bar for North End in the latter stages of the first half and soon after that drove a slow shot across goal and inches wide.

The home side had their chances too, Daniel Iversen called into action a few times during the course of the afternoon.

A share of the spoils was probably a fair reflection of the game, the point one which PNE won't sniff at as they extended their unbeaten run in the league to three matches.

Daniel Johnson was very good in PNE's midfield, with Maguire so lively up front.

North End's starting XI was unchanged, Frankie McAvoy having kept faith with the side which had beaten Swansea 3-1 before the international break.

Deadline-day signings Ali McCann and Josh Murphy were on the bench, so too Alan Browne and Liam Lindsay who were returning to the squad after isolating.

The first half was one PNE started and finished brightly but in between it was the Robins who had the better of the play.

In the second minute, Johnson slipped a pass into the box for Maguire to chase, home keeper Dan Bentley out quickly to slide in and kick clear as Maguire tried to meet it.

Sepp van den Berg then drove a shot over the angle of near post and bar after being picked-out by Ben Whiteman's pass on the right hand side of the box.

The wing-back might have been better to go across goal with his effort.

City began to take control of proceedings, with it needing a fine piece of goalkeeping from Daniel Iversen to prevent the home side getting in after 17 minutes

Jordan Storey's clearing header was collected by Andreas Weimann who played a pass into the box to find the run of Chris Martin.

Iversen dived at Martin's feet and cleanly took the ball, referee Tim Robinson ignoring shouts from the crowd for a penalty.

In the 25th minute, Robins centre-half Rob Atkinson was allowed to move through the PNE half from the back and let fly with a shot from 20 yards which Iversen sprang to his left to tip behind.

North End went close with two chances - both from Maguire - in the last six minutes of the first half.

Ryan Ledson's pass played Maguire in behind the home defence to the left of goal, the Irishman holding off a challenge and hitting a left-foot shot which came back off the bar.

The ball was eventually recycled to Whiteman outside the box, the midfielder's shot travelling just wide.

In the 43rd minute, Johnson's superb reverse pass found Maguire who drove a powerful low cross across goal and inches wide of the far post.

Iversen was called into action six minutes into the second half, getting fingertips to a shot from Han-Noah Massengo to take it over the bar.

Just before the hour, Johnson saw a shot blocked at close quarters in the six-yard box after Josh Earl had supplied a cross from the left.

Soon after, another centre from Earl squirmed through to Emil Riis at the far post where the Dane blazed a shot over the bar.

McAvoy made a double change in the 73rd minute, McCann and Browne replacing Ledson and Riis.

It was a lay-off from Browne four minutes later which set up a shooting chance for Whiteman, the midfielder's first-time shot from 20 yards just clearing the bar.

Murphy came on in the 79th for his PNE debut, replacing Johnson who had been excellent all afternoon. Perhaps his trip to Jamaica on international duty was a factor in his substitution.

With 82 minutes on the clock, McCann's foul gave away a free-kick 25 yards out. Martin took it, Iversen diving to his right to push it away.

A late chance came North End's way from a corner, McCann's flag-kick travelling over to Andrew Hughes at the far post - the defender putting his header too close to Bentley who gathered.

Bristol City: Bentley, Vyner, Kalas, Atkinson, Baker, Massengo, James, King (Semenyo 69), Pring (Dasilva 69), Weimann (Wells 77), Martin. Subs (not used): Bakinson, Scott, Palmer, O'Leary.

PNE: Iversen, Storey, Bauer, Hughes, van den Berg, Whiteman, Ledson (McCann 73), Earl, Johnson (Murphy 79), Maguire, Riis (Browne 73). Subs (not used): Cunningham, Lindsay, Potts, Rudd.

Referee: Tim Robinson (West Sussex)

Attendance: 17,967 (753 PNE)

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