Luton Town FC vs Preston North End (20th Jun 2020)

MATCH REPORT | LUTON TOWN 1-1 PRESTON NORTH END

A late McManaman equaliser rescues a point for the Hatters

A fantastic late Callum McManaman goal earned the Hatters a 1-1 draw against Preston North End in Nathan Jones’ first game back as Town boss.

Preston went ahead in the 52nd minute through Scott Sinclair but with three minutes to play, McManaman found the back of the net with the Hatters’ first shot on target.

The Sky Bet Championship fixture was contested behind closed doors in the first game week back since the coronavirus pandemic halted matches in March.

All 22 players and the officials paid their respects to the NHS and those who have lost their lives during the coronavirus pandemic in a one-minute round of applause at the start of the match, as well as taking the knee upon the referee’s whistle in unity with the Black Lives Matter campaign.

On a hot and sunny afternoon at the Kenny, there were few clear-cut chances for either side during the first half, but the away side had the more presentable opportunities.

Sean Maguire came close from the edge of the box during the early stages and the Republic of Ireland international was later denied by Simon Sluga, who hurried off his line to make himself big and block his effort behind.

Preston took the lead seven minutes after the half-time restart as Sinclair slid the ball past Sluga after being played through by Tom Barkhuizen.

The away side seemed to be heading home with all three points until McManaman produced a moment of brilliance in the 87th minute.

In typical fashion, McManaman came off the bench to score a late goal – his fourth of the season and without doubt his best one yet. Fellow substitute James Bree squared the ball to the former Wigan man 25-yards from goal and with a couple of touches forward, the 29-year-old found the top corner with a superb finish.

Luton were in the ascendency after the goal and Ryan Tunnicliffe came close with an audacious long-range effort which curled just over the bar.

Six minutes were added on at the end of the game, though neither team could find a winner and the Hatters now turn their attention to an away trip to Swansea City having closed the gap to five points despite dropping to the foot of the Championship.

TOWN: Sluga; Cranie (Bree 75), Carter-Vickers, Pearson (Bradley 84), Potts; Tunnicliffe, Rea (C) (Moncur 75), Mpanzu, Brown (McManaman 75); Cornick, Collins (Hylton 84).

Subs not used: Shea, Lee, Shinnie, Butterfield.

Yellows: Rea

Goal: McManaman (87)

PRESTON NORTH END: Rudd, Browne, Davies, Bauer, Hughes, Pearson, Gallagher (C) (Fisher 77), Johnson, Sinclair (Potts 77), Barkhuizen, Maguire (Nugent 65).

Subs not used: Ripley, Storey, Ledson, Harrop, Bodin, Stockley

Goal: Sinclair (52)

Referee: John Brooks

NJ | "THAT POINT IS FOR THE FANS, WHO COULDN'T BE HERE BUT WE KNOW THEY WERE WATCHING"

After seeing his side grab a late point against Preston behind closed doors at Kenilworth Road today, Hatters boss Nathan Jones heaped praise on club staff who have worked tirelessly to get today's game on - and the fans he says have helped the club survive the Coronavirus lockdown.

"First of all, we have to thank the club and all the people that have worked to get the game on, because there's been a lot of work behind the scenes and it was so important to do that," said Jones.

"We thank the fans in terms of the things they have done to make sure that this club can survive. And we miss them. This place is...you say about sides that are really going to miss a crowd, and I think we are one of the top sides that are going to miss the crowd.

"There's Leeds and a full house, but the Kenny when it's rocking is unbelievable and we are going to miss our fans. The point is for them, who couldn't be here but we know they were watching. We are going to gather momentum and at the minute we are not at the levels we need to be because we've had three weeks work with them, and we are not miracle workers in terms of that.

"So we will build and that's a good point today. The fans have been brilliant for us in terms of every single week, and it's a shame they're not here because we miss that, we really do."

On the game itself, Jones reflected: “It’s a bit mixed really, I didn’t think we were anywhere near where we needed to be. Up until their goal I thought we were looked solid, defensively we were very good and they worked so hard, it’s just we lacked a little bit of fluency today.

“That’s maybe to be expected with obviously the lay off and only three weeks to work with them, but they’ve been excellent. To go down through a goal that is not a great goal to give away. You’ve got to deal with the first ball and then we’ve got to somehow deal with Sinclair a little bit more.

"Really, I felt we limited them to very little and I felt we felt we really finished strongly. I think if we had a full house at the Kenny, I think we might have gone on and nicked that.

“We said about the importance of game-changers. We always reiterate that whether we’ve been up, whether we had to chase a game or whether we’ve had to take a game away from a team in the past, we have always reiterated the importance having game-changers and in today’s environment even more so because of fitness levels and so on.

“We made subs at we felt the right time, could we have made them earlier? Maybe because the impact they had was superb and I was really pleased for Macca because he’s been so bright. Bree very good going forward so we were pleased with the impact they gave because there wasn’t much in the game.

"Preston are a well-drilled, experienced side that have been together for a long time, so I was pleased. It really is unfair to say we could have nicked it, but we finished stronger and that was the thing I was pleased with.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=172FiF6J9Ko – Nathan Jones post match interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a65wJCDCNWc – Match Highlights

MACCA | "I WAS QUIETLY CONFIDENT I WAS GOING TO DO SOMETHING WHEN I CAME ON"

Hatters forward Callum McManaman was pleased to once again make an impact from the bench as his 87th minute strike rescued a 1-1 draw against Preston North End yesterday.

McManaman replaced Izzy Brown in the 75th minute and produced a fantastic finish to beat Declan Rudd from the edge of the box, which now leaves the Town five points from safety.

The game was the first of the Championship restart and without the Kenilworth Road faithful there to cheer on the boys, the 29-year-old admitted it did feel different.

He said: “It was strange to be honest, it didn’t feel as good when the ball hit the back of the net but I think it was a massive point in the end and I’m glad that I came on and did that to help the team.

"It felt a bit strange when I scored, I didn’t really know what to do. But it’s a good point in the end and we will have to take it.”

The goal itself was a moment of brilliance from the former Wigan Athletic man as he fired into the top corner from the edge of the box.

He later revealed when talking to the press via Zoom that he had an inkling he would make a difference when he came on, saying: “It was a good pass from James Bree, I was confident before the game that I was going to come on and change the game.

"To be fair I’ve done it a few times this season and I’ve been training well, the gaffer has been impressed with me, so I spoke to him a little bit and I’ve been feeling confident and sharp.

“I was quietly confident I was going to do something when I came on, but as time went on, I was thinking I might not even get the ball because it was up and down, and the game was kind of dead. I’m just thankful I got the shot off.”

Macca and the rest of the squad have now trained and played under the watchful eye of Nathan Jones for three weeks now and the winger has been full of praise for the manager.

“I was disappointed that Graeme left, but the new gaffer has been brilliant with me, he’s given me a chance from the off, he’s spoke to me and I think he likes the way I play," said McManaman. "He’s always spoken to me about being aggressive, putting my foot in and he likes the way I’m sharp. Hopefully I can get in the team, start a few games and start a run."

Despite picking up a point, the Hatters dropped to the bottom of the Championship but McManaman insists that the players shouldn’t be disappointed with yesterday’s result.

“We wanted the three points before the game but obviously we were poor in parts today I thought, so I think we will take that," said Callum. "Let’s not be disappointed we haven’t won the game, it’s a positive point, it’s the first game and we can play better than that. I feel like we will take that, move on and get fitter and stronger and more confident for it.”

McManaman hammers homes a late leveller to rescue Luton a point against Preston

Championship: Luton Town 1 Preston North End 1

Substitute Callum McManaman scored a brilliant late equaliser to rescue Luton what could be a crucial point in their battle to stay up this season.

The winger, who had only been on the pitch for 10 minutes, picked his spot with unerring accuracy from 22 yards in what was the Hatters only shot on target, as he thundered past Declan Rudd and earn the hosts a share of the spoils, which had looked increasingly unlikely the longer the game wore on.

In fact, Nathan Jones' first game back as Luton manager appeared to be ending in disappointment as the Hatters just never appeared capable of breaking through a solid Lilywhites back-line who showed just why they are going for a play-off position this term.

The visitors looked a well-drilled, well-oiled machine, but just couldn't create that killer second goal, allowing McManaman to finish off a flowing Town move with yet another late goal, his fourth of the season.

After 105 days away from the harsh realities of Championship football due to the coronavirus, Luton began their nine game mini-season to try and avoid relegation against a side who also needed the points for a very different reason, to hold on to their play-off place.

With a deserted Kenilworth Road apart from the players, coaching staff, journalists and club officials, it made for a difficult playing experience for both sets of players, despite the best efforts of the PA system, pumping crowd noise in for the duration of the 90 minutes.

Plenty had changed since Town last took to the field, not least one Jones replacing another in the dugout, but the starting 11 was strikingly similar to that which ground out a 0-0 draw with Wigan on March 7, just the one change, Dan Potts in for Sonny Bradley, with Glen Rea taking the captain's armband.

Town had actually been in the better form of the two sides when the season was postponed, and made the brighter start, winning an early corner which saw Ryan Tunnicliffe swing in a deep cross for Matty Pearson to glance wide.

The visitors then began to dominate possession though, knocking it around with real confidence trying to pull Town out of position.

They did so with an element of fortune, Sean Maguire scuffing an attempted throughball, picking up the rebound to shoot low, his effort deflecting inches past the post.

A drinks break seemed to reset Town as the ball started sticking upfield more, while they had a great chance on 25 minutes from Izzy Brown's corner.

It wasn't the best delivery, but a poor clearing header forced Rudd into a weak punch, the ball dropping invitingly for both Rea and Harry Cornick, the pair shaping to shoot and then frustratingly leaving it for each other.

Town were then indebted to some alert keeping from Simon Sluga, who was out quickly when a shot rebounded into the feet of the dangerous Maguire, spreading himself impressively to not only block the shot, but win a goal kick too.

Sluga's next work was far easier, comfortably gathering Paul Gallagher's 20 yarder that lacked any real power.

After the break, the visitors had the breakthrough on 52 minutes when Town's defence were caught out on the right.

Martin Cranie was caught out of position, leaving the unmarked Scott Sinclair with acres of space to advance into the area and with Matty Pearson covering the runners instead of going out to him, the one-time £6m signing for Manchester City, smartly placed his shot into the bottom corner.

Preston looked to double their lead swiftly, Gallagher's free kick not catching out Sluga, who got two strong hands to palm it away.

The Lilywhites almost had that pressure relieving second with 15 to go, Ben Pearson thumping narrowly over from the edge of the box, as that would surely have been curtains for the hosts., who were struggling to ever impose themselves on the contest, sending nothing at keeper Rudd.

Town responded with a triple substitution, McManaman, James Bree and George Moncur on for Rea, Cranie and Brown, but their introduction did little to immediately knock the visitors out of their stride.

Danny Hylton and Bradley then took to the field, with clubs now allowed to make five alterations in a bid to prevent player injury, and the changes finally had an effect with just three minutes to go.

Sluga's throw to the right was initially cut out, only for Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu to win the ball back and find Bree.

He set off before picking out McManaman, the winger cutting across the box and then unleash a wonderful angled drive that flew past Rudd.

Luton almost had a second straight away, Tunnicliffe bending a delicious attempt that just didn't come down in time, with Rudd beaten.

Although the result saw Luton slip to the bottom, they did actually cut the gap to safety by a point, thanks to Middlesbrough's thumping defeat at home by Swansea City, who the Hatters now head to next weekend.

Hatters: Simon Sluga, Martin Cranie (James Bree 75), Dan Potts, Matty Pearson (Sonny Bradley 84), Cameron Carter-Vickers, Glen Rea (C George Moncur 75), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Izzy Brown (Callum McManaman 75), Harry Cornick, James Collins (Danny Hylton 84).

Subs not used: James Shea, Elliot Lee, Andrew Shinnie, Jacob Butterfield.

Preston: Declan Rudd, Ben Pearson, Ben Davies, Alan Browne, Daniel Johnson (Jayden Stockley 90), Paul Gallagher (C Darnell Fisher 77), Andy Hughes, Patrick Bauer, Sean Maguire (David Nugent 65), Tom Barkhuizen (Billy Bodin 90), Scott Sinclair (Brad Potts 77).

Subs not used: Connor Ripley, Josh Harrop, Jordan Storey, Ryan Ledson, Jayden Stockley, Billy Bodin.

Booked: Rea 54.

Referee: John Brooks

Jones hails his game-changers as Hatters hit back to hold Lilywhites

McManaman the hero as his late goal salvages Town a point

As he so often did during his first spell as manager, Luton boss Nathan Jones hailed the importance of his game-changers once more, after one of them, Callum McManaman, came up trumps during the Hatters' 1-1 draw with Preston North End this afternoon.

With five players now allowed to be used from the bench, in a bid to prevent club's picking up injuries due to the congested schedule to finish the Championship campaign in a month after the coronavirus pandemic, then Jones took full advantage of his extra allocation, bringing on his full complement with Town trailing 1-0.

it gave Luton the boost they so desperately needed as well, with two of them combining for what could be an absolutely crucial point.

A quickfire move started by Simon Sluga and then recovered by Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu saw right back James Bree, on for Martin Cranie, find McManaman, who had replaced Izzy Brown, inside the visitors half.

The winger sprinted forward, before unleashing a terrific angled drive from just outside the box that arrowed past Declan Rudd to lift his side a point closer to safety.

Jones said: "We said (about) the importance of game-changers, we always reiterate that and we always have.

"Whether we’ve been up, or whether we’ve had to chase a game or whether we've had to take a game away from a team, in the past we’ve always reiterated the importance of having game-changers.

“In today’s environment, it’s even more so because of fitness levels.

"We made subs, we felt, at the right time. Could we have done it earlier? Maybe because the impact they had was superb.

“We’re really pleased for Macca but he’s been so bright. Breesy is very good going forward, so we’re pleased with the impact they had.

“There was not much in the game. Preston are a well-drilled, experienced side that have been together for a long time, so for us to match those, I was pleased.

“It’s probably unfair to say we could’ve nicked it, but we finished stronger and that’s the thing I was pleased with.

“We've played wide, a good ball in from Breesy, he's in a great position and it’s a wonderful finish from Macca, we were right behind it and it would’ve taken something like that, because we didn’t create too much today, like we normally do.

“That’s something we’ll address because we have another four to five weeks work, fluent work, to do, but I'm pleased to get off the mark because it was important we did that and I don't really think there really deserved to be a winner.

"They had slightly more possession I woulds imagine, but in terms of clear cut chances, they were few and far between."

Although Town now only have eight games left to try and save their Championship status, Jones was satisfied with the start made, as the result did push Town one point closer to safety.

He added: "I’m pleased to get off the mark, because it’s important we did that. I don’t really think there deserved to be a winner today.

“They had slightly more possession, I would imagine, but in terms of clear-cut chances, there was very few and far between.

"It’s a bit mixed, really. I don’t think we were anywhere near where we needed to be.

"Probably up until their goal, I thought we looked very solid, defensively, we were very good, they worked so hard, it’s just we lacked a bit of fluency.

“That’s maybe to be expected with the lay-off and only three weeks, really, to work with them, as they’ve been excellent.

“To go down to a goal that’s not a great goal to give away, you’ve got to deal with the first ball and then we’ve got to somehow deal with (Scott) Sinclair a little bit more.

“I felt we limited them to very little and really, really finished strongly.

"I think, if we’d have had a full house at the Kenny, I think we might have gone on and nicked that."

Jones: Preston point is a positive one in Luton's battle to stay up

Hatters chief left frustrated with lack of goalscoring attempts during draw

Hatters manager Nathan Jones felt that his side’s 1-1 draw with Preston North End could well be a positive point in their battle to stay in the Championship this term.

Playing their first game back after three months away due to the coronavirus pandemic and in front of an empty stadium, the Hatters fell behind to Scott Sinclair’s 52nd minute opener.

However, with five substitute now able to come on, Jones raided his bench from the 74th minute mark, with one of them, Callum McManaman, firing home an excellent equaliser late on.

Although the result saw Luton fall to the bottom of the division after Barnsley won 1-0 at QPR, they actually cut the deficit to safety, trailing Middlesbrough, who were hammered 3-0 at home by Hatters' next opponents Swansea, by five points.

Jones said: “I thought we started really well, the first five minutes we’ve had a corner, had a shot, so we started on the front foot.

“Preston are a well drilled side so sometimes it takes a little bit of time to get to grips with the game and we haven’t been able to play, because of coronavirus and the game we had called off (against Oxford), so we’re lacking a little bit of sharpness, but that will come.

“It was important today that we got something from the game, as ironically, even through we’ve drawn the game and others have nicked wins, we are closer to safety than when we started.

“So that’s important that we did that as there are some big games coming up.

"We’ve got to make sure that we are in games, make sure we give ourselves a chance for the games that are coming up, but Preston are a good side.”

Hatters’ goal when it came was their first effort on target, and they almost nicked it moments later, Ryan Tunnicliffe's curler flying inches wide.

Jones conceded he was disappointed with the lack of attacking threat from his side during the contest, saying: “Totally, but a lot of our play was frustrating as it’s not what we've worked on.

"Preston are a very good side, I don't know if they started earlier than us, but they’re well drilled, they know what they’re doing, so this is a positive point.

"We'd like to have won the game, but you can't win every game.

"It continues our unbeaten run, it's a tough, tough game, a tough side to play against, I know that, because I've come up against Alex (Neil) a few times.

"We're disappointed with the amount of possession we had, the amount of problems we caused them as it wasn't until late on did we really cause them problems.

"But that shows, one the strength we have, two the game changers, so definitely disappointed and we're going to have to address that, but it's a positive point.”