Preston North End vs Luton Town FC (20th Mar 2021)

Match Report | Preston North End 0-1 Luton Town

Collins on the mark to earn the Town all three points at Deepdale

James Collins' 11th goal of the season made it two wins in two for the Hatters heading into the international break.

In a tightly fought game at Deepdale where the Hatters created the better of the chances, after saving well from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s effort, Preston keeper Daniel Iversen was unable to prevent Collins’ shot from deflecting into the net late on.

Manager Nathan Jones named an unchanged side from Tuesday night’s victory over Coventry City, moving Glen Rea into midfield and switching to a diamond formation.

The game lacked rhythm in the opening exchanges, with both sides struggling to build any pressure or take control of proceedings.

The Hatters had the first half-chance of the game as Harry Cornick caught Preston centre-back Liam Lindsay in possession, but his route to goal was cut-off by a covering Lilywhites defender and Luton’s frontman was denied the opportunity to shoot.

With the help of the superb Pelly Ruddock-Mpanzu, Luton gradually started to take control of the game. Ten minutes before the half-time break, Mpanzu picked up a loose ball on the edge of the box and fired towards goal, with the deflection taking it just wide of Iversen’s right post.

Luton continued to get into good positions without threatening the Preston goal, with Elijah Adebayo charging to the by-line but being unable to find an onrushing Luton player in the box.

The Hatters did come close to opening the scoring through James Bree just before the half-time whistle. After opening his account for the Hatters in Tuesday night’s victory over Coventry City, the right-back strode into space on the edge of the box, unleashing a low shot that was saved well by Iversen diving to his right.

That would prove the last of the action in a half where the Hatters started to gain control, with neither side carving out any clear-cut chances of note.

The home side started the second-half the stronger, enjoying an extended spell of pressure around Luton’s box, with Kal Naismith blocking well and Luton eventually clearing their lines without Simon Sluga being called into action.

At the other end, Iversen was once again called into action. The Hatters switched the play to Bree who delivered into Adebayo at the back-post, with Preston’s ‘keeper saving well as Luton’s January signing headed across goal.

In a disrupted second-half where knocks to Adebayo, Sluga and Joe Rafferty disrupted the flow of the game, manager Jones introduced a fresh front three late on in Tom Ince, Sam Nombe and Collins in an attempt to give the Hatters some more forward thrust.

Once again Bree was released to the by-line down the right, clipping back towards Ince who miskicked from inside the box and Collins being unable to connect cleanly.

As the game ticked down into the final ten minutes, the Hatters took the lead. The impressive Pelly Ruddock-Mpanzu drove forwards down the right, delivering a wonderful cross that Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall turned towards goal. Iversen saved brilliantly, with the rebound falling to Collins who fired towards goal at an acute angle with the ball bouncing off the prone Preston stopper and into the net.

Soon after, Simon Sluga saved well to ensure the Hatters retained their lead. Tom Barkhuizen’s long throw from the left was flicked towards goal, with the Croatian international saving well high to his left.

The Hatters should have doubled their advantage in stoppage time as the Hatters broke away at speed, creating a 3v1 with Nombe cutting in from the left and curling just wide of the far post.

It wouldn’t matter though, as the Hatters saw out the remaining minutes and sealed a brilliant away victory, heading into the international break having reached 50 points and sitting in 13th place.

Town: Sluga, Clark, Naismith, Pearson, Bree, Rea (C), Mpanzu, Tunnicliffe (Ince 70), Dewsbury-Hall, Cornick (Collins 77), Adebayo (Nombe 77).

Goals: Collins (83)

Yellows: None

Subs not used: Shea, Cranie, Berry, Lockyer, LuaLua, Morrell.

Preston: Iversen, Rafferty, Lindsay, Storey, Van den Berg, Whiteman, Ledson (Gallagher 86), Gordon (Barkhuizen 67), Johnson (C) (Bodin 81), Sinclair (Maguire 67), Evans (Potts 81).

Yellows: None

Subs not used: Jakobsen, Molumby, Huntington, Ripley.

Nathan Jones reaction to victory against Preston North End

The gaffer delighted his side complete back-to-back wins...

Manager Nathan Jones was delighted the Hatters were able to reach the 50-point mark after defeating Preston North End at Deepdale this afternoon.

The Hatters forced a breakthrough with seven minutes to play after James Collins’ header was deflected into the back of the net by goalkeeper Daniel Iversen, a goal the team deserved for their efforts throughout the 90 minutes.

“To come away from home and to get three points is magnificent, especially here which is a difficult place to come. I have come here with Stoke and got beaten. Alex is renown for putting teams out that are very difficult to beat, they work hard and have quality, but I felt we were the better side today.

“We came here really positive, played a diamond and we might have made it slightly easier for ourselves but we’re delighted with the win and to get the win away from home to back-up our performances.

“We felt comfortable and then it was just about us stepping it up. I can’t second guess what anybody else is going to do, we just felt if we could step it up then the game was there. We did step it up slightly in the second half but it took three substitutions to get us over the line but we’re delighted.

“It is a tough place to come and we have had games where we haven’t quite got what we deserved and there were margins today but we came out on the right side.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbgBS8hkFbw& - Nathan Jones interview

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlabGXlC5NU – Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu interview

Iversen's own goal hands Luton a first victory at Preston for the first time since 1972

Championship: Preston North End 0 Luton Town 1

A unfortunate late own goal from Preston keeper Daniel Iversen saw Luton win at Deepdale for the first time since January 1972 as they reached 50 points with a hard-fought 1-0 victory this afternoon.

The Hatters were having the better of a scrappy game, but it looked like they would be forced to settle for a share of the spoils until seven minutes remaining.

Then, a fine cross from Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, who was Town's best attacking player throughout the 90 minutes was met by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, with Iversen making a tremendous point blank save, only to then divert James Collins' follow up into his own net.

That was enough for the Hatters to end an almost 50-year wait for victory at the Lilywhites, as they also reached the magical target of a half century of points, which will mean they stay in the second tier for a third consecutive season, with nine games still to go.

The Hatters were unchanged as they kept the same side who beat Coventry City 2-0 in midweek, although Welsh international Tom Lockyer was fit enough to return to the bench.

Nathan Jones opted to start with a four man defence though, Glen Rea advancing out of the back-line and into the holding midfield role for the formation that had looked far more comfortable when ending the Sky Blues game.

A scrappy opening 10 minutes was only briefly enlivened when Harry Cornick broke on the right hand side, with the ball teed up to Elijah Adebayo whose left-footed attempt was deflected behind.

Bar a Sepp Van Den Berg header from a corner that flew harmlessly over, the hosts didn't threaten once, with the half hour mark seeing a Cornick strike that was charged down the only noteworthy moment.

Luton did start to show the odd glimpse of quality, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu twisting his hips to beat a man and set up a crossing chance, before he then had a go from 25 yards, a deflecting taking his drive narrowly off target.

Lilywhites keeper Daniel Iversen collected Adebayo's cross-shot , before he was properly extended just prior to the break, getting down well to touch James Bree's 30-yard skimmer behind.

The corner was then cleared as far as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall whose angled volley dropped just wide of Iversen's goal to bring the curtain down on a fairly uninspiring half of football.

After the break, Preston had the odd flicker of excitement when Scott Sinclair sporadically advanced into the area but Luton created the best chance on 56 minutes when Bree's cross from the right was headed firmly by Adebayo, Iversen making an excellent low save to his left.

Luton then had Simon Sluga to thank for bravely keeping the scores goalless on 71 minutes when the visiting defence appealed for an offside flag that wasn't forthcoming, the Croatian diverting Ched Evans' close range effort behind before getting clattered.

Town brought on James Collins and Sam Nombe for the final 15 minutes, as Ben Whiteman and Bree exchanged speculative attempts that sailed into the stands.

Ince produced some clever skill to manufacture a shooting opportunity which was charged away, dragging a second effort that Collins rather ungainly diverted behind.

However, with seven to go, Town struck, as they do so often late in a game on their travels, with Collins claiming it, but it will no doubt go down as Iversen's aberration.

In the closing stages, Tom Barkhuizen's long throw was flicked on as Sluga finger-tipped away, before Sean Maguire hooked the rebound well over.

Luton should have added to their margin of victory when Nombe was sent clean through by Mpanzu's lovely long pass out defence, only for his radar to go awry when sizing up the bottom corner.

However, a very ordinary Preston side couldn't mount anything remotely resembling a fight back as Town can go into the international break safe in the knowledge they will be in the second tier once more next term.

Lilywhites: Daniel Iversen, Sepp Van Den Berg, Liam Lindsay, Daniel Johnson (C Billy Bodin 80), Jordan Storey, Joe Rafferty, Ben Whiteman, Ryan Ledson, Ched Evans (Brad Potts 80), Scott Sinclair (Sean Maguire 66), Anthony Gordon (Tom Barkhuizen 66).

Subs not used: Connor Ripley, Paul Gallagher, Emil Riis, Jayson Molumby, Paul Huntington.

Hatters: Simon Sluga, James Bree, Matty Pearson, Glen Rea, Kal Naismith, Ryan Tunnicliffe (Tom Ince 70), Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Jordan Clark, Harry Cornick (Sam Nombe 75), Elijah Adebayo (James Collins 75).

Subs not used: James Shea, Joe Morrell, Luke Berry, Tom Lockyer, Kazenga LuaLua, Martin Cranie.

Referee: Thomas Bramall.

Town boss felt Hatters fully deserved to end an almost 50-year wait for victory at Deepdale

Iversen own goal hands Luton victory over Preston

Luton chief Nathan Jones felt his side were fully deserving of their first win at Preston North End since January 1972 following this afternoon’s 1-0 triumph.

Town’s 12 previous visits since Alan Slough’s strike settled a Division Two contest almost 50 years ago had seen the Hatters lose nine, on a run of eight successive defeats as well.

However, under Jones, Luton are becoming accustomed to ending such sequences, as they had done at Nottingham Forest last month, as they left it late once more, an own goal from keeper Daniel Iversen proving the difference.

The Hatters chief said: “I didn’t know that stat, we’re not trying to change history, we’re trying to make sure we establish ourselves as a Championship side and make sure we keep climbing the league, so I’m delighted with that.

“The first half was lacklustre, I felt if we had a bit more quality we could have created a lot more, but second half we picked it up slightly and I thought we deserved the win.

“I didn't think they were getting through at any part of the game, I felt if we stepped it up a little bit the game was there to be won, without being disrespectful in any way.

“We lacked a little bit of tempo, lacked a little bit of quality if we just had that first half then it could have been a different story, but we did do that second half.

“We stepped it up a little bit, I felt we were the better side, not massively, but felt we edged a real right game and being the away side that’s a good performance from us as it’s a tough place to come.”

After the break, Luton were always the team who looked the more likely to win, which they did thanks to Iversen diverting in James Collins’ cross-shot which is expected to go down as an own goal rather than the forward’s 11th of the season.

Jones added: “I felt we were making the running a little bit, Ched Evans was probably the main threat in terms of his physicality, but I felt we were the better side.

“Once we had a bit more quality and a bit more zest about us, then we were a lot better and we looked like we could win.

“We made substitutions to win the game, we made three very positive substitutions and I’m absolutely delighted for James.

“We were edging it, making the running, making their back four work slightly harder than ours and it just needed a little bit more quality.

“Pelly-Ruddock provided a wonderful ball and after we did score, we might have had one or two more as well.

“(Sam) Nombe’s clean in, Kiernan (Dewsbury-Hall) if he (Jordan Clark) just played the ball earlier he’d have been clean in on the counter attack.

“So it was a real, real hard-fought and deserved win and we’re delighted with that.”

Attacking substitutions pay off for Luton chief Jones as Town beat Lilywhites

Hatters manager impressed by trio's impact during Deepdale win

Luton boss Nathan Jones hailed the impact of his substitutes as the Hatters picked up an excellent 1-0 win at Preston North End this afternoon.

With 70 minutes on the clock, Jones opted to bring on Tom Ince for Ryan Tunnicliffe, and then shortly afterwards, sent on James Collins and Sam Nombe for Harry Cornick and Elijah Adebayo to switch Town's forward options.

The changes worked a treat too, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu delivering a wonderful cross and after Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was denied superbly by keeper Daniel Iversen, there was James Collins at the far post to follow up, the home stopper diverting over the line for an unfortunate own goal.

On making his attacking triple switch, Jones said: “I don’t put Tom Ince, Sam Nombe and James Collins on to see out the game.

“Tom was a positive change and a real attacking player, Ryan had put three massive shifts in this week, and I felt we just needed to freshen it up.

“I probably could have freshened it up a little bit earlier, but we got to a point where we felt we were quite secure in they game and we thought 'now was the time to go for it' and we did and we’re delighted with that.”

Although the goal has gone down as an Iversen error, robbing Collins of a first strike since early February and an 11th of the season, Jones felt it was the striker who should be credited, adding: “He’s not trying to claim it, of course he’s claiming it!

“He’s had the last touch, he put it in and the keeper couldn't keep it out, it’s clearly his goal.

“I’m delighted for him, a poacher’s goal, but James is arriving and that’s what he does, because he’s a goalscorer and we’re delighted with that.”