Coventry City 2-1 Preston North End as Frank Lampard's side inflict deserved defeat and end unwanted record

Playing Coventry City has been a predominantly positive experience for Preston North End who hadn’t lost to the Sky Blues, in the league, for more than 17 years. Saturday’s clash at the CBS Arena, though, was always a difficult assignment on paper for Paul Heckingbottom’s side. PNE have improved away from home of late with wins at Watford and Norwich - while generally being a tough team to beat - but Frank Lampard’s men were in a great moment themselves.

And the feel good factor was evident inside Coventry’s big, blue stadium as the club’s pre-match anthems played and players emerged. Both managers made three changes on the day; the absence of Mads Frokjaer a big blow for North End given the Danish midfielder’s recent impact on games. Preston’s start to the contest was reasonable, with Kaine Kesler-Hayden providing an early threat in behind the Sky Blues back line.

Coventry, slowly but surely, started to make their mark on proceedings after allowing the Lilywhites to settle. Matt Grimes got his foot on the ball in the middle of the park, while danger came down the flanks and Ellis Simms flashed an effort just wide. By the time the hosts did hit the front on half-an-hour there had been a sense of inevitability about it. Simms’ shot was blocked by Ryan Porteous but the follow-up cross was headed in by Jack Rudoni - who had made a Lampard-esque late run into the box.

The pattern of the match had been similar to North End’s trip to Blackburn Rovers in late January - and with PNE far from at the races it was a case of getting in at the break only one behind. The visitors were not even able to do that, however. Coventry defender Bobby Thomas brushed off Porteous from a corner and saw his placed header, comically, end up in the back of Preston’s net after Freddie Woodman failed to keep the ball out.

Heckingbottom made three substitutions at half-time - Liam Lindsay, Brad Potts and Emil Riis introduced - but PNE’s team performance remained flat. Big chances came along - some self-inflicted - for the home side to kill the game off once and for all. After Simms and Rudoni failed to do so the game was made interesting out of nowhere, when substitute Will Keane popped up to flick home from Potts’ low cross.

Suddenly, a nervousness swirled around the stadium and Preston did create another chance in injury time but Riis could only scuff his volleyed effort at the shot-stopper Oliver Dovin. In the end, a result North End could have no complaints with as Coventry took three deserved - and certainly long awaited - points against the Lilywhites

Attendance: 26,493 Preston North End starting XI: Woodman; Porteous, Gibson (Lindsay 46’), Hughes, Kesler-Hayden (Brady 64’), Thordarson, McCann (c), Ledson (Potts 46’), Meghoma (Riis 46’), Greenwood (Keane 71’), Osmajic. Preston North End subs: Cornell, Bauer, McGhee, Evans.