Match Day Thread Preston North End v Luton Town Deepdale 14/12/2019

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LAST TIME OUT
PRESTON NORTH END 2 FULHAM 1

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STOKE CITY 3 LUTON TOWN 0

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FAMOUS LUTON SUPPORTER WHO CANNOT ATTEND DUE TO THE FACT HE IS NO LONGER ALIVE

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Last meeting was in 2007 when we beat the Hatters 3-0, the season before we beat them 5-1 in both games they had their keeper sent off in the first game future North End superstar Kevin Nicholls went in goal.


Transfers dealings

Hatters paid £1.53 milion for keeper Simon Sluga a record fee, not had the best of starts presently warming the subs bench bit like Chris Maxwell, other than that free transfers and loans, Izzy Brown being the stand out.

Long tiime since we played these lads last time was under Paul bad apples Simpson, since then they rocketed down the leagues accumuating a 30 point deduction in one season for dubious off field practice, hovered around the Conference before making their way back to the Championship mainly thans to Nathan Jones , now managed by namesake Graeme Jones have had a struggle having been battered 7-0 at Brentford they lost 3-0 at Stoke on Tuesday in between beating the Pies at Kenilworth Road.
Given their smallish budget probably wil struggle to stay up but that is a long way off yet.

Welcome victory for us on Tuesday rumours of absent players returning, should be favourites however the Championship is no straightforward league.

Match Officials: Luton Town Home






The match official for Saturday’s clash with Graeme Jones’ Luton Town at Deepdale is experienced referee Gavin Ward.
Gavin, from Surrey, is in his 13th season on the EFL lists, and although he has officiated the Lilywhites on eight previous occasions, although this is only his third at Deepdale, but his second in a couple of months.

His last was the 5-1 home thrashing of Daniel Stendel’s Barnsley, the now Hearts boss’ last game in charge of the Tykes.

As mentioned, in his 12 seasons on the lists, the referee has also taken charge of North End on eight previous occasions, including our late draw at Hull City in October 2018, our early season trip to Carrow Road to face Norwich City and our home clash with Sheffield United in April.
Prior to our trip to Norfolk early last season, the last game he officiated was at Elland Road against Leeds United in December 2015, Mathew Hudson that day making his debut for the Lilywhites
His other games in charge of PNE were at Brentford and in 2010 at Leicester City, and his first two in the space of a few months back in early 2010, at Bristol City and a 1-1 draw with Coventry City at the Ricoh Arena.

This will be his 14th game of the season, having so far issued 42 yellow cards and three red cards in his seven previous games, including two other Luton games, their 2-1 win at Blackburn Rovers and their 2-1 home defeat to Nottingham Forest.

On Saturday afternoon Richard Wild and Matthew McGrath will be the match official’s assistants, whilst the fourth official will be Anthony Backhouse.

 

Preston North End 2 Gallagher, Stockley Luton Town 1 Collins pen

PNE: Rudd, Fisher, Bauer, Huntington, Hughes, Pearson, Gallagher, Bodin (Stockley 76), Browne (Barkhuizen 66), Maguire, Nugent (Harrop 56). Subs (not used): Clarke, Ledson, Potts, Hudson.

Luton: Shea, Bolton, Pearson, Bradley, Bree, Berry (Moncur 86), Butterfield (Tunnicliffe 61), McManaman (Cornick 67), Mpanza, Lualua, Collins. Subs (not used): Shinnie, Jones, Sheehan, Sluga.

Referee: Gavin Ward (Surrey)

Attendance: 12,083 (865 away)

An utter horror of a game were we came away with three points and went third in the league if the pivotal moment in the game we probably would have lost, 10 minutes from time, Cornick won a challenge with Pearson on the half way line advanced on goal with not a soul in front of him apart from Rudd, he aimed to Rudd's left the keeper stuck out his left foot and we all breathed a massive sigh of relieve, within six or seven minutes Stockley had scored the winnner from a tap in after we had had about six attempts to get the ball in, it was an ugly goal in keeping with the tone of the match. We could have possibly had two more Stockley blazed over and Harrop could not quite get a touch to a Barkhuizen pass.
It all started quite well when a defender pulled Bauer shirt in the area, penalty, Shea was unlucky he saved it but the power was such that Gallagher fired home the rebound. We didn't kick on from this and for the next 15 minutes Luton dominated could have had a couple of goals possible clain for a penalty before we eventually got back on top with a Bodin effort which might have been going in was cleared just before Browne got there.
From then on in Luton sat back and our slow build up lacking width meant we could not get anwhere near there goal.
Just before the break the Hatters were level, Huntington was adjudged to have brought down McManaman, Collins did the rest from the spot
Second have Luton gave a master class of time wasting, yes we are quite good at it but this was the zenith of being professional, Lua Lua produced some magnificent dives worthy of Tom Daley, frustration started to grow and it looked as if we would ony get a point until Stockley's late winner.
An afternoon to forget but three points.

Preston North End boss Alex Neil told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"I thought our biggest error today was letting them back into the game. I thought when we got the first goal, that's the breakthrough you need against these sorts of sides. It didn't transpire that way, I thought we were a bit sloppy.

"I thought their penalty was really soft. I watched it back and I thought it was a poor decision. But we shouldn't have let them be able to make a decision.

"We won't be talking about this game in a week's time. We'll be talking about going third and that's all that matters."

Luton Town manager Graeme Jones told BBC Three Counties Radio:

"A draw was the fairer result today, there was nothing in the game at all. And remember, they have gone third now.

"This is some away ground to come to, and we had a right go. We competed.

"We've got to fight and earn the right to be in a stronger position."

 

In an article in LEP, AN said some of his players looked rusty: Browne, Maguire, Bodin, Gallagher and that hi grateful for no mid-week games so that some could have a rest. Light training only.