Preston North End man calls for improved refereeing after ‘tough run’ of results

Preston North End midfielder Ryan Ledson pleaded for better officiating after last weekend’s defeat at Hull City.

The Lilywhites succomed to a 1-0 defeat at the MKM Stadium, with Ryan Lowe’s men having picked up just three points from their last 21 league matches. Preston were flying high at the start of the campaign and managed to win six games in a row, but North End now find themselves needing to get very much back on track after a testing October.

PNE lost to Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Hull, while drawing against Millwall and Southampton - who nicked a 96th minute equaliser at Deepdale last midweek. Preston must improve their performance in November, but frustration was rife post-match at Hull - given the fact PNE were denied a penalty for the third successive game. Ledson, like Lowe, was not remotely amused.

“Well we should’ve had one in every game,” said Ledson. “Obviously, we cannot say too much, but the referees and the officials need to be better. Us players can get criticised for not being good but listen, the referees need to be better. Especially (at Hull) - I think that is an absolute stonewaller. Browney got wrong side of him and he grabbed his neck, from behind, when he’s going to shoot. Obviously it’s not good enough, but we’re going to have to dust ourselves down. We’ve got a massive game next weekend, at home to Coventry.

“We are (desperate to get winning again) and we nearly had one on Wednesday, but got done by a suckerpunch which knocked the stuffing out of us - because we should’ve had three points against Southampton. And then, to come and put the effort in at Hull which we did, the least we should come away with is a point. We’ve got a massive game against Coventry, to get three points, then we’re going into a local derby, on a Friday night, which we know we’ll be right up for. So, these next two games before the international break, we’re looking to get six points.”

And on the back of another sold out away following, Ledson added: “They’ve been brilliant, absolutely brilliant. To sell out there, again, is fantastic and they are spurring us on. You can hear them and even at the end - I know we are going through a bit of a tough run and probably not getting the luck we deserve - but you can see them staying right until the end, clapping us off. It means a lot to me and all of the lads.”