Preston North End 1-3 Southampton as it happened: Lewis Dobbin on score sheet in final day defeat
Lewis Dobbin was on the score sheet for the Lilywhites
Preston North End lost 1-3 to Southampton on the final day of the season.
Saints knew they were consigned to the play-offs going into the game, but had the opportunity to seal a home second-leg with victory. After an end-to-end start to proceedings, Tonda Eckert’s side hit the front when Taylor Harwood-Bellis powered a magnificent header into the top right corner. Southampton had started to carry a threat with lifted crosses into the PNE box and one eventually paid off.
The Lilywhites had a scare straight after conceding when Ross Stewart blocked Daniel Iversen’s kick; the Dane was grateful to see the ball bounce wide of the vacant goal. From there, the response from Paul Heckingbottom’s men was positive. Daniel Peretz was forced into an excellent double-save when he parried Alfie Devine’s fierce half-volley away, before getting down to brilliantly deny captain Ben Whiteman.
Tom Fellows had gone whiskers away from scoring at the other end, but PNE continued to get themselves into promising areas. Liam Lindsay, fresh from a headed brace last weekend, came agonisingly close to scoring from another corner. However, the Scot’s free header flew inches wide of the bottom right corner. Peretz was then on hand to make another smart save, keeping out Lewis Dobbin’s header.
Dai Cornell was one of two half time substitutions made by Paul Heckingbottom but the Welshman, almost instantly, had to pick the ball out of his net. Ross Stewart was allowed far too much time and space on the edge of the box, and he picked out the bottom left corner with his low drive. North End heads didn’t drop and shortly after, a good opportunity presented itself to Dobbin but he placed wide from 18 yards.
The next chance that came the number 17’s way was taken, though he would’ve done well to miss it. Cornell opted to blast the ball forward quickly and Peretz raced off his line, only to slip and leave Dobbin with an open goal to pick out from range. North End didn’t make the most of their attacking moments from that point and substitute Cyle Larin clinched the points for Southampton, in second half injury time.
Attendance: 20,085 Preston North End starting XI: Iversen (Cornell 46’); Storey (Offiah 46’), Lindsay, Hughes, Potts, Whiteman (c), Devine (Thompson 58’), Vukcevic (Brady 75’), Moran, Dobbin, Jebbison (Osmajic 58’) Preston North End unused subs: Valentin, McCann, Small, Smith.