Luton Town 0 Preston North End 0
![[Image: Screenshot-2025-01-19-101015.png]](https://i.ibb.co/C98mY1D/Screenshot-2025-01-19-101015.png)
Attendance: 11,540 (1,214 PNE pre-sales).
Referee: Mr T Robinson.
One of those games which won't last long in the memory, although the curse of having ITV 4 as the main match losing curse was broken. Grim ad cold weather, ground which was a troow back to the grim old days in the 70's and having too see Luton in the daylight exceedingly grim.
Five changes from midweek, up against a club with the new manager bounce although never would have known it from the deadly quiet home fans.
First period we created absolutely nothing, had a few scares down the other end Krauss early effort after Jones had eased past Hughes, Clark from the left hand side, shot easily saved by Woodman, a couole of other scrambled efforts in the box that came to nothing. We had small periods of play where we looked to have a foothold but their penalty area looked like a bucket wish for the players.
Second period better always looked a threat from dead balls but didn't really test Kaminski. Luton free kick well saved by Woodman couple of other efforts but nothing thatwould cause much of a danger to our gooal.
Mr Simpson gave them everything, perfect referee for a crap game.
Luton is not an attractive place but do like fruit and vegetable shops that have masses of fruit in boxes outside the shop, home by 9.30 absolute bonus, and the thrill of doing the same journey again on Tuesday with 25 miles extra each way, hopefully will be far better than what we got yesterday.
HECKY
Paul Heckingbottom wanted his side to show a different mentality away from home and he was pleased with their approach in the goalless draw against Luton Town.
North End took a point from a tight game of few chances at Kenilworth Road. Freddie Woodman had to make a few relatively routine stops on the day, given the shift put in from those ahead of him, while the Lilywhites couldn't manage to break through the Luton Town back-line.
Hecky said: “I’m really pleased with how we approached it, how we managed the game and how we took away their threats.
“It was a difficult one to prepare for with a new manager, but we knew their home form and how they'd been scoring goals.
“12 of the last 20 have come from set plays. Four high regains when they're direct and they just drop balls in your box. Two more long balls where they just turn teams. There's only been two goals they’ve scored in the last 20 which have been from what you'd class as open-play football.
“We picked a team with that in mind because we knew that would be a common theme with the players and having watched Matt’s Wycombe team.
“We knew we were coming to a direct team with a different energy about them because of a change in manager and then the atmosphere in the stadium.”
The boss said after his side’s previous away outing against West Brom on New Year’s Day that he may look to change the set-up on the road.
That was in his mind in the preparation for the trip to Kenilworth Road, while there was also the consideration that it was Matt Bloomfield’s first game in charge of the Hatters.
Hecky said: “The bits I've not liked is away from home when we've been like a pretty team. We’ve just been out-competed in moments and then the game's gone away from us.
“When we have competed we look like we've done okay in the second half for example, but the damage is done so we had to make sure from minute one that that wasn't going to be the case today.
“We've had too many games where we've been the better team only taking a point and when we have had moments where we haven't been at our best we've been punished, so today was about us showing a mentality to come away with something today.”
More than 1,200 PNE fans made the journey south to watch the Lilywhites take on Luton, and they were in fine voice all day long.
Hecky added: “They were great because there was good energy from their fans today and our fans came just like we did to try and spoil that and try and impose ourselves on the pitch and our fans imposed themselves on the noise in the stadium as well.
“So, yeah, fantastic. That's what we want to be. We want to be together away from home. They want to see that sort of fight and determination to come away with things, especially in a hard-fought game on a poor pitch. The only thing we didn't get is the three points.”
Luton Town boss Matt Bloomfield told BBC Three Counties Radio:
"It's a good point and good to get a clean sheet and they didn't have any shots on target.
"Coming off a run of five straight defeats, it was nice to get that - the first one in 12. (in all competitions). We had a good out-of-possession shape
"We didn't quite have the right touch in the final third. We would have liked to have created more and shot more but we understand where we are as a team
"There's a lot of work to do, but in terms of a foundation, I have to say I'm pleased."
Attendance: 11,540 (1,214 PNE pre-sales).
Referee: Mr T Robinson.
One of those games which won't last long in the memory, although the curse of having ITV 4 as the main match losing curse was broken. Grim ad cold weather, ground which was a troow back to the grim old days in the 70's and having too see Luton in the daylight exceedingly grim.
Five changes from midweek, up against a club with the new manager bounce although never would have known it from the deadly quiet home fans.
First period we created absolutely nothing, had a few scares down the other end Krauss early effort after Jones had eased past Hughes, Clark from the left hand side, shot easily saved by Woodman, a couole of other scrambled efforts in the box that came to nothing. We had small periods of play where we looked to have a foothold but their penalty area looked like a bucket wish for the players.
Second period better always looked a threat from dead balls but didn't really test Kaminski. Luton free kick well saved by Woodman couple of other efforts but nothing thatwould cause much of a danger to our gooal.
Mr Simpson gave them everything, perfect referee for a crap game.
Luton is not an attractive place but do like fruit and vegetable shops that have masses of fruit in boxes outside the shop, home by 9.30 absolute bonus, and the thrill of doing the same journey again on Tuesday with 25 miles extra each way, hopefully will be far better than what we got yesterday.
HECKY
Paul Heckingbottom wanted his side to show a different mentality away from home and he was pleased with their approach in the goalless draw against Luton Town.
North End took a point from a tight game of few chances at Kenilworth Road. Freddie Woodman had to make a few relatively routine stops on the day, given the shift put in from those ahead of him, while the Lilywhites couldn't manage to break through the Luton Town back-line.
Hecky said: “I’m really pleased with how we approached it, how we managed the game and how we took away their threats.
“It was a difficult one to prepare for with a new manager, but we knew their home form and how they'd been scoring goals.
“12 of the last 20 have come from set plays. Four high regains when they're direct and they just drop balls in your box. Two more long balls where they just turn teams. There's only been two goals they’ve scored in the last 20 which have been from what you'd class as open-play football.
“We picked a team with that in mind because we knew that would be a common theme with the players and having watched Matt’s Wycombe team.
“We knew we were coming to a direct team with a different energy about them because of a change in manager and then the atmosphere in the stadium.”
The boss said after his side’s previous away outing against West Brom on New Year’s Day that he may look to change the set-up on the road.
That was in his mind in the preparation for the trip to Kenilworth Road, while there was also the consideration that it was Matt Bloomfield’s first game in charge of the Hatters.
Hecky said: “The bits I've not liked is away from home when we've been like a pretty team. We’ve just been out-competed in moments and then the game's gone away from us.
“When we have competed we look like we've done okay in the second half for example, but the damage is done so we had to make sure from minute one that that wasn't going to be the case today.
“We've had too many games where we've been the better team only taking a point and when we have had moments where we haven't been at our best we've been punished, so today was about us showing a mentality to come away with something today.”
More than 1,200 PNE fans made the journey south to watch the Lilywhites take on Luton, and they were in fine voice all day long.
Hecky added: “They were great because there was good energy from their fans today and our fans came just like we did to try and spoil that and try and impose ourselves on the pitch and our fans imposed themselves on the noise in the stadium as well.
“So, yeah, fantastic. That's what we want to be. We want to be together away from home. They want to see that sort of fight and determination to come away with things, especially in a hard-fought game on a poor pitch. The only thing we didn't get is the three points.”
Luton Town boss Matt Bloomfield told BBC Three Counties Radio:
"It's a good point and good to get a clean sheet and they didn't have any shots on target.
"Coming off a run of five straight defeats, it was nice to get that - the first one in 12. (in all competitions). We had a good out-of-possession shape
"We didn't quite have the right touch in the final third. We would have liked to have created more and shot more but we understand where we are as a team
"There's a lot of work to do, but in terms of a foundation, I have to say I'm pleased."
Why should a man go to work, if he has the health and strength to stay in bed?