What we learned from Preston North End’s Championship opener vs Bristol City as new transfer impresses

New signing Will Keane bagged a fine late leveller as Preston bravely battled back to avoid defeat on the opening day of the new Championship season.

Forward Sam Bell’s 47th minute goal put the Robins on course for victory at Ashton Gate.

But former Wigan Athletic hitman Keane pounced with four minutes left as the visitors salvaged a point on their travels to the South West coast.

Preston boss Ryan Lowe gave debuts to Keane and fellow new summer recruit Mads Frokjaer and opted for a 3-5-1-1 formation to kick the season off.

And Lowe also handed homegrown talent Kian Best his professional debut as the visitors went in search of their first victory against the Robins since November 2018.

New signing Jack Whatmough, who joined from Wigan on Wednesday, was named as a substitute as Lowe and his ambitious charges looked to start the season with a bang.

But the Lilywhites could perhaps count themselves lucky that they didn’t concede a penalty after just ten minutes.

Forward Nahki Wells went sprawling after a collision with defender Liam Lindsay, but the visitors got the decision from referee David Webb.

However, in an otherwise quiet first half of few chances, it was Bell who had the best opportunity to break the deadlock in front of a sell-out crowd.

But Preston shot-stopper Freddie Woodman produced a stunning close-range block to thwart him after Wells had laid it on a plate for the striker just before the break.

It’s fair to say many of Preston’s pre-season games served up better action than this dire spectacle, but Lowe’s side at least looked compact at the back and Hughes fitted in well having returned from his summer shoulder operation.

However, that tight defence evaporated after just two minutes of the second half when Bell was allowed acres of space to fire the home side in front after Harry Cornick’s long-throw caused all sorts of problems in Preston’s box.

Woodman produced an excellent save, pushing Wells’ goalbound effort against the post, but Bell was on hand to clean up.

It was Bell of course who scored the winner as the Robins beat the Lilywhites 2-1 at Deepdale in February last season.

Danish midfielder Frokjaer saw his deflected low drive saved by Robins keeper Max O’Leary as the Lilywhites finally woke up having gone behind, before skipper Alan Browne smashed just over as they looked to draw level.

And the Browne couldn’t believe his luck as he smashed a left-shot against the left post as the Lilywhites were denied a leveller.

Fellow midfielder Brad Potts then had two excellent chances to score, but saw his first effort superbly blocked by Joe Williams.

Not long after Potts dragged a shot wide as the visitors forced the pace in their search for an equaliser.

Lowe introduced new American signing Duane Holmes with 18 minutes left and Preston were finally rewarded for their efforts when Keane netted with a clinical right-foot strike at the death.

Bristol City 1 (Bell 47)

Preston 1 (Keane 86)

Bristol City (4-3-3): O’Leary, Vyner, Dickie, Ping; Weimann (Williams 23), James, Knight (King 88); Cornick (Sykes 70), Wells (Conway 69), Bell (Mehmeti 87.

Unused subs: Wiles-Richards, Roberts, Knight-Lebel, Araoye.

Preston (3-5-1-1): Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Hughes; Potts, Brown, McCann, Ledson (Holmes 72), Best (Woodburn 82); Frokjaer; Keane.

Unused subs: Bauer, Cornell, Rodriguez-Gentile, Whatmough, Taylor, Leigh, Mawene.

Referee: David Webb

On behalf of the Lancaster and Crowther Sports Agency