Ryan Lowe felt Preston North End showed Premier League Leicester City too much respect

Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe felt his side showed Leicester City too much respect in their 2-1 defeat to the Premier League side.
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Former and current England internationals, Jamie Vardy and Harvey Barnes, did the damage for the Foxes in the first half with Ali McCann getting North End back into the game early in the second.

Leicester were quick out of the blocks and imposed themselves on the game, particularly in the first half, and showed the gulf in quality between the Europa League semi-finalists and North End as they zipped the ball around and played at pace.

Alan Browne is challenged by Wesley Fofana.Alan Browne is challenged by Wesley Fofana.
Alan Browne is challenged by Wesley Fofana.
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Lowe’s men got themselves back into the game later on however but the North End boss felt his side had played a part in their own downfall.

He said: "We probably showed them too much respect in the first, until Ryan Ledson left a bit in a tackle - there was no harm in it, he wasn't trying to hurt anybody - but roll your sleeves up and be counted for.

"I don't want to see anyone injured. I thought it was a fair game, there were a couple of yellow cards but that was just to stop it getting any further.

"Our goal was well worked and we wanted the lads to work a bit more of that and be a bit braver.

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"But sometimes when you come up against a side with the quality of Leicester it's easy for me to say on the sidelines 'be brave' isn't it? They're the ones out on the pitch.”

North End were undone inside of 10 minutes as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall released Vardy in behind the North End backline where he rounded Freddie Woodman to score.

It was all over within a heartbeat as Brendan Rodgers’ side turned on the style and were clinical.

Barnes on the other hand had longer on the ball, started out on the left touchline, and ran across the face of the PNE box before finding the inside of the post, followed by the net.

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Lowe said: “With the first one I think we could have dealt with it a bit better in the midfield but there's one killer pass into speedy Vardy and the next thing Fred's not sure whether to go and he rounds the 'keeper and puts it in.

"I'm disappointed with that but it's a moment of class.

"The second one I was more disappointed that we could have ended it out wide. You can't let Harvey Barnes come in on his right foot, he's a fantastic player.

"With the speed and power of him, he ends up getting the shot away and it trickles in. We're always disappointed with the goals we concede but I thought the reaction of the group after that was good.”