Preston North End player ratings vs Luton Town with one 9/10 as Paul Heckingbottom starts with a win
Scores on the doors from PNE's 1-0 win over Luton Town
Preston North End started life under new manager Paul Heckingbottom in the perfect way, as they saw off Luton Town 1-0 at Deepdale.
Here are our player ratings from the match, with Will Keane’s first half strike earning PNE the points.
Starting XI
Freddie Woodman - 8.5
Some big saves over the piece to keep a hard earned clean sheet. Kept out Morris, Adebayo and Clark with smart stops. His best game for a while.
Jordan Storey - 7.5
Started the game a tad shakily but steadied and played a vital role back there. Made a crucial interception in the second half.
Liam Lindsay - 9
A pretty colossal shift from the big Scot. Whenever an equaliser looked close, he was there to head, kick, tackle, clear or block.
Andrew Hughes - 8
Went man-for-man with Carlton Morris and dealt with him excellently. The Welshman’s best performance for some time.
Brad Potts - 8
Caught a couple of times in possession but a typically committed display from the number 44 - who did both sides of the game. Could’ve been played through a couple of times early in the second half.
Ben Whiteman - 8
Switched on in there against a slick outfit. Kept it neat and tidy on the ball and handled the game well after being booked. A heroic last ditch tackle in the 90th minute on Adebayo.
Stefan Thordarson - 6.5
Composed and comfortable in possession when he did get on it. Battled away in midfield against a physical Luton. Dragged a powerful shot from distance wide.
Kaine Kesler-Hayden - 8
Aggressive and energetic down the left flank, on full debut. Lots of positives in his performance and he carried a threat. His delicate flick started the move which led to the goal.
Mads Frokjaer - 6
Started the game quite erratic. Settled into it and got his foot on the ball. Replaced just after the hour as Luton started to break through the middle of the pitch.
Will Keane - 8
Tucked his goal away nicely, showing a cool head inside the box. Dropped into clever areas throughout the game and ran himself into the ground.
Emil Riis - 7.5
Decision making sometimes let him down, but on the whole a disciplined performance up there - full of endeavour. Picked out Keane brilliantly for the goal.
Substitutes
Ryan Ledson - 7
Added bite and legs in midfield, off the bench. Some nice passes, though he could’ve played Thordarson clean through.
Sam Greenwood - 6
Put himself about and got stuck in. Almost got in on goal a couple of times.
Duane Holmes - 7
Injected some life into PNE’s performance, when they looked to be tiring. Almost sealed the points when he raced through and saw his shot blocked.