Preston North End vs Luton Town FC (14th Dec 2019)

PRESTON NORTH END 2 LUTON TOWN 1

Town's strong performance not rewarded at Deepdale

A spirited performance from the Hatters wasn’t rewarded as ex-Town striker Jayden Stockley returned to haunt his former side late on in a 2-1 win for Preston North End.

Having gone ahead through Paul Gallagher early on, Town equalised towards the end of the first half after James Collins converted from the penalty spot.

Stockley would go onto have the final say though having been introduced with 15 minutes to go, as he was able to roll the ball into the back of the net in the 84th minute after it landed at his feet following a six-yard box scramble.

Manager Graeme Jones made four changes from the side that was defeated at Stoke City in midweek, with Luke Bolton returning after illness and Jacob Butterfield, Callum McManaman and Kazenga LuaLua coming into the starting XI.

Town went behind after five minutes after Matty Pearson gave away a penalty for holding in the penalty area from a corner. Paul Gallagher stepped up to take the spot-kick, Shea stood his ground and saved the effort impressively, but the North End captain was first to the rebound, firing it in to open the scoring.

Luke Berry had a half-chance to put the Town back on level terms as the midfielder sent in a corner, the ball was cleared out to Jacob Butterfield, he found Pearson out on the right who crossed, it found its way to Berry, who sent his effort into the side-netting after 15 minutes.

McManaman then saw his low effort from just inside the box deflected behind for a corner – that was crossed in Berry had a shot blocked before an effort from Bree was also saw his strike fly into a defender.

With 21 minutes on the clock, Pearson came to the rescue as he cleared Billy Bodin’s effort off the line with Alan Browne sliding in just behind ready to tuck it away.

With three minutes to go before half-time, Town pushed for an equaliser and found one, as Callum McManaman was upended in the box. Collins made no mistake from the box, firing down the middle, as Declan Rudd dived to his right.

It was Collins' seventh goal of the season and 52nd in a Town shirt, and it gave the Hatters something to protect as they came back out in resolute manner after the break.

North End didn't threaten as the well-organised and determined Luton side looked to hit the high-flying hosts on the break.

That plan looked to have paid off as Town had a glorious opportunity to take the lead in the 80th minute as Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu’s clearance was raced onto by substitute Harry Cornick, who was clean through on goal, but saw his low effort saved by Rudd.

Within seconds Mpanzu had the ball back in the danger area and fired at goal, only for Rudd to tip his powerful shot over the bar.

The Hatters would come to rue the missed opportunity, as former Town loanee Stockley was able to pass the ball into the back of the net from close ranger after it rolled kindly for him in the box after the Hatters had blocked a succession of efforts.

The result lifts North End up to third in the Championship table, while the Town remain 21st - two points above the drop zone - heading into two home fixtures against Swansea and Fulham.

Town: Shea, Bolton, Pearson, Bradley ©, Bree, Mpanzu, Butterfield (Tunnicliffe 61), Berry, McManaman, LuaLua, Collins.

Subs not used: Sluga, Shinnie, Cornick, Moncur, Jones, Sheehan.

Goals: Collins 43

Yellows: LuaLua, Berry, Bradley

PNE: Rudd, Fisher, Pearson, Browne, Gallagher (C), Hughes, Bauer, Huntington, Maguire, Nugent (Harrop 56), Bodin (Stockley 75).

Subs not used: Hudson, Clarke, Ledson, Stockley, Barkhuizen, Potts.

Goals: Gallagher 5, Stockley 84

Referee: Gavin Ward

GRAEME JONES REACTS TO PRESTON DEFEAT

Hatters boss Graeme Jones was pleased to see a much improved performance from his side at Preston North End but was ultimately disappointed with a 2-1 defeat.

The Lilywhites took the lead within the opening five minutes before James Collins equalised on the stroke of half-time from the penalty spot.

Preston stole a late winner through ex-Hatter Jayden Stockley to take them third in the league and Jones had this to say on the afternoon’s performance.

“On 80 minutes Harry Cornick runs through to make it 2-1 and I think Pelly had a good chance as it comes back to him as well,” the manager said. “It’s a very different game then and I think where we are at the minute, that’s probably how it goes.

“I just spoke to Alex Neil there and he said they were third or fourth bottom this time last year. He said that’s exactly where you stand, so we’ve got to fight and earn the right to be in a stronger position next season. I know where we are and I don’t want to lose football matches because a draw was a fair result today, there was nothing in the game at all.

“Remember these (Preston) have gone third now. This is some away ground to come to and we had a right go, we competed and I let them know that was what I wanted more than anything today, because Stoke was very, very disappointing.

“I changed the shape and got a massive reaction from the group so that aspect is satisfying because if we continue with that and I will never let it drop. I’ve told the players you need to police it, don’t ever let it drop again, which is minimum requirement. Then I know to step forward and I know we will get results away from home.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osrHh15O0Y8& - Graeme Jones post match interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Lp9ifauC60 – Match highlights

Ex-Hatter Stockley scores late on as Luton lose on the road again

Championship: Preston North End 2 Luton Town 1

Former Hatter Jayden Stockley scored a late winner as Luton fell to a seventh straight away defeat in the Championship, beaten 2-1 at Preston North End this afternoon.

The visitors looked like they had picked up a valiant and hard-fought point at Deepdale, frustrating their hosts for long periods, but as has proved so often this season, they just couldn't keep the back door shut.

This time, with just six minutes to go, Stockley, who spent time on loan at Kenilworth Road in the 2015-16 season, tapped home from close range after Town were unable to clear the danger.

It was a harsh result for Graeme Jones' side, as the manager's less adventurous formation and tactics appeared to have paid off, Hatters sitting deep and having just 32 per cent possession, until Stockley came off the bench to win it.

The Hatters made four changes to the team that lost 3-0 at Stoke on Tuesday night, with Jacob Butterfield returning, along with Kazenga LuaLua, Callum McManaman and Luke Bolton.

Ryan Tunnicliffe missed his first league game of the season, on the bench, joined by Harry Cornick, Andrew Shinnie and Alan Sheehan.

Town's pre-match plans were soon up in smoke though as they fell behind for a 10th straight fixture on just five minutes, as Preston forced two early corners, the second of which saw Matty Pearson penalised for holding in the area.

Paul Gallagher stepped up and saw his blast well saved by James Shea, who stood his ground, the keeper unable to prevent Gallagher notching the rebound.

The visitors had their first opportunity to draw level on 14 minutes, when Pearson's cross shot fizzed into the area, James Bree finding Luke Berry, whose effort was off target.

Luton kept pushing, McManaman dummying his man and letting fly, Andrew Hughes throwing his body in the way to divert behind, before Berry and Bree's attempts were blocked, the visitors screaming for a penalty when LuaLua's ambitious volley looked to have struck a hand, but nothing was given.

Preston looked for a second too, Billy Bodin's far post header appearing destined to nestle into the corner of the net until Pearson stuck out a leg to divert over his his own bar.

The hosts dominated possession for the remainder of the first half, Town content to sit deep and let them pass the ball in front of them, before the visitors had a glorious chance to level as LuaLua broke from inside his own half on 42 minutes.

Although his pass into the area was cut out, McManaman went over Paul Huntington's trailing leg and referee Gavin Ward awarded Luton a penalty that Collins tucked away, sending Declan Rudd the wrong way.

Buoyed by the equaliser, Town then should have had another spotkick on the stroke of half time, Sonny Bradley hauled down as he went to meet a deep free kick, this time Ward giving nothing, much to the frustration of Berry in particular.

The second period saw Luton resume their holding formation, as to a man, they carried out the task impressively early on, denying Preston any meaningful attacks.

After withstanding the pressure, Town had the best chance of the entire match on 84 minutes, as Cornick beat Ben Pearson on the half way line to race clean through on goal.

Faced with Rudd, he failed to show the conviction he had against Birmingham and Bristol City, as the home keeper saved with his legs.

Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu got hold of the rebound, his effort touched over the bar, before the visitors were made to pay by their former loan signing.

A long cross saw Shea unable to get enough distance on his punch and although Town's defence threw their bodies in to get two brilliant blocks in, no-one was marking Stockley, who tapped home from close range.

Stockley should have had a second, slicing well over from Tom Barkhuizen's cross, before the Hatters almost grabbed a stoppage time equaliser, George Moncur's run and cross just evading Bradley at the far post.

Lilywhites: Declan Rudd, Darnell Fisher, Ben Pearson, Alan Browne (Tom Barkhuizen 66), Paul Gallagher ©, Andrew Hughes, Patrick Bauer, Paul Huntington, Sean Maguire, David Nugent (Josh Harrop 56), Billy Bodin (Jayden Stockley 75).

Subs not used: Mathew Hudson, Tom Clarke, Ryan Ledson, Brad Potts.

Hatters: James Shea, Luke Bolton, James Bree, Matty Pearson, Sonny Bradley ©, Jacob Butterfield (Ryan Tunnicliffe 61), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Luke Berry (George Moncur 86), Callum McManaman (Harry Cornick 67), Kazenga LuaLua, James Collins.

Subs not used: Simon Sluga, Lloyd Jones, Andrew Shinnie, Alan Sheehan.

Booked: LuaLua 66, Berry 81, Bradley 90.

Referee: Gavin Ward.

Attendance: 12,083 (865 Luton).

Jones feels Town were treated 'harshly' by the officials during Deepdale defeat

Luton boss Graeme Jones felt his side were harshly treated by referee Gavin Ward during their 2-1 defeat at Preston North End this afternoon.

The official awarded two penalties in the first half, one when Matty Pearson was adjudged to have held his man in the area inside the opening five minutes, Paul Gallagher converting after James Shea had saved his initial effort.

Ward then gave Town a spotkick on 42 minutes after Callum McManaman was tripped by Paul Huntington, James Collins making no mistake.

However, moments later, Luton had another shout when Sonny Bradley was hauled down in an incident that was a virtual carbon copy of Preston’s successful claim, as when asked about not having a second go their way, Jones said: “Did you see Sonny Bradley’s wide free kick late on in the first half?

“For me they’re identical situations and I think everybody can pass their own opinion on how similar they are, let’s put it light that.

“If we go to every Football League ground in the country, they’ll have seen that contact in the box today, and I’ve said before, little Luton Town, at Deepdale, a penalty against us, we have to stand up for ourselves.

“It’s not acceptable, just like Sonny’s is not acceptable.

"It’s the same incident, so now I’m talking about a 2-1 defeat and I think we’ve been harshly treated, which is another variable against us, that’s why we all have to stick together.”

On whether the penalty wasn’t awarded due to it happening so close to Luton’s successful spotkick, Jones added: “It should be a decision made on the incident shouldn’t it?

"Not just ‘I’ve given a penalty, I can’t give a second one,’ as he didn’t think that after three minutes.

“I just feel a bit harshly done to, it’s tough enough here, to give teams a goal start.

“I know there’s nothing in it, push and shove maybe, it went on in the other box, I can see him giving a free kick against Sonny Bradley late on from a corner and I’m thinking, 'it was more of a penalty than a free kick.'

“But I’m just going to be like everyone else if I l keep squirming on about referees, and I’m not.

“You have to be above the referee, your performance needs to be above the referee.

"If Harry scores our performance was above the referee, so we need to bottle that and that with us, next time we’re on the road.”