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."
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."
Why should a man go to work, if he has the health and strength to stay in bed?