Preston North End 0-0 Swansea City: drab midweek affair ends goalless
A goalless share of the spoils in midweek for Paul Heckingbottom’s side
Preston North End drew 0-0 with Swansea City on Tuesday night.
Lilywhites boss Paul Heckingbottom made one change from the memorable FA Cup win over Burnley, with Sam Greenwood brought in for Stefan Thordarson. The Iceland international was named on the bench but then withdrawn from the squad prior to kick-off.
The first 45 minutes were flat and forgettable. Lewis O’Brien stung the palms of former Swan, and birthday boy, Freddie Woodman. Chances and openings were at a premium for Preston with a blocked Brad Potts strike the only glimmer of a potential deadlock breaker.
Opportunities had been in short supply but a glorious one fell to the one man PNE would’ve wanted, just a few seconds into the second half. However, Milutin Osmajic sliced his left-footed effort wide after the Montenegrin let Potts’ low ball come across his body.
The absence of the elegant Thordarson and classy Mads Frokjaer was felt on the night, with captain Ben Whiteman and livewire Duane Holmes also missing. North End were hit again in the engine room when skipper on the night, Ali McCann, was forced off through injury on 70 minutes.
Lewis Gibson stepped into midfield for the closing stages and Paul Heckingbottom’s side huffed and puffed, but struggled to muster meaningful efforts at goal. Ryan Ledson saw a shot charged down while Lawrence Vigouroux kept out a snapshot from Potts. At the other end, Swansea were well restricted.
There was a sense of inevitability about the final result - even more so when Osmajic failed to round Vigouroux and convert, after a big error at the back from the visitors. Substitute Emil Riis then saw his touch let him down in injury time after a wonderful Woodman’s kick in behind.
Attendance: 12,838 PNE starting XI: Woodman; Kesler-Hayden, Lindsay, Gibson, Potts, McCann (Hughes 69'), Ledson (Porteous 63'), Brady (Meghoma 63'), Greenwood, Keane (Riis 63'), Osmajic. PNE unused subs: Cornell, Bauer, Carroll, Evans, Rodriguez-Gentile.