Luton Town 0-0 Preston North End RECAP and highlights from scrappy Kenilworth Road clash
It ended goalless between Preston North End and Luton Town on Saturday afternoon
The Lilywhites were on the road for the first time since their dismal New Year's Day display and defeat at West Brom. Following that match manager Paul Heckingbottom vented his frustration and suggested that PNE's approach away from home may need to change. It was also stated that Ryan Ledson would start the next time Preston went on their travels.
Two-and-a-half weeks on Heckingbottom stuck to his word and North End's plan - far from a pretty one - was evident early doors. Luton's season has been nothing short of a struggle after relegation but this was match one under new boss Matt Bloomfield and the Kenilworth Road faithful roared their team on to the pitch.
New PNE signing Jayden Meghoma was on the bench while five changes were made from the midweek win over Charlton in the FA Cup. With a defensive quintet on the pitch for Preston along with Ledson and captain for the day Ali McCann, any creative onus was heavily on Leeds United loanee Sam Greenwood. Front two Milutin Osmajic and Will Keane would need to graft.
Luton's unique home - not for that much longer now - is a notoriously tight place to play with space hard to find. Heading into the game 21 of the Hatters' 25 points had been collected on their own patch. From the off, Preston resembled a team who'd stripped things back and planned to stay in the game. The North End boss wants a team who can go away and pick up points, if not at their best.
And so, perhaps a return to basics - defensive structure and discipline with risk eliminated - was an experiment to see whether Preston could do just that on Saturday afternoon. The first 45 minutes passed everyone in the stadium by with barely a goal scoring chance to report; North End did not register a shot while Freddie Woodman one routine save to make.
A grim first half spectacle came to an end but both teams were in the match at the break and had 45 minutes to find a moment. Both Heckingbottom and Bloomfield turned to their bench as the game progressed but this was a match that never looked like sparking into life. Preston finished the game with two shots - zero on target - but a worthy point based on their defensive effort.
Attendance: 11,540 (1,214 away) PNE starting XI: Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Gibson, Kesler-Hayden, Ledson, McCann, Hughes, Greenwood, Keane (Frokjaer 62'), Osmajic (Riis'). PNE unused subs: Cornell, Meghoma, Whatmough, Brady, Thordarson, Holmes, Evans.