There was no opening day joy for Preston North End as they suffered a disappointing opening day defeat to Doncaster.
Early first half goals from James O'Connor and James Hayter did the damage for the visitors as the Lilywhites struggled to get into their stride in the opening moments. Darren Ferguson's side showed improved form in the second half and perhaps should have got some consolation but they couldn't turn their dominance to their advantage, even when Rovers went down to ten men after Simon Gillett was given his marching orders.
North End boss Darren Ferguson was forced into a defensive reshuffle for the game due to the injury absences of Sean St. Ledger and Wayne Brown, Billy Jones moving to centre-half alongside debutant Craig Morgan. Jones' switch allowed David Jones to come in and make his debut alongside two other debutants, Paul Hayes and Darel Russell. Matchday signing Joshua King had to make do with a place on the bench.
There were few surprises in the Doncaster line-up. Sean O'Driscoll sticking to his tried and tested 4-5-1 formation, summer signing Billy Sharp spearheading the attack.
It took 12 minutes of the game before the deadlock was broken. A dangerous ball was swung in from the left by Simon Gillett, James Hayter had time to flick the ball into the path of Billy Sharp, the danger man was closed down well by Treacy and Davidson but the ball came out to the edge of the box where James O'Connor slammed the ball across the face of goal and beyond Lonergan with the aid of a deflection.
On 18 minutes it was 2-0. George Friend whipped in a fine cross from the left, Billy Sharp was the danger at the back post, volleying towards goal, Lonergan pulled off a fine save but the ball bounced off the turf and James Hayter nodded into the unguarded from one yard out.
David Gray was shown the first yellow card of the game on 19 minutes, a late challenge on Doncaster full-back George Friend forcing referee Steve Tanner to go to his notebook.
Chris Brown almost got North End back into the match on 24 minutes. Paul Hayes dipped a shoulder and clipped a dangerous ball into the six-yard box and Chris Brown stuck out a leg to divert the ball towards goal, the ball flew a yard over the cross-bar.
Debutant Darel Russell was the next North End name in the referee's notebook. He put in a strong challenge on former North End midfielder Brian Stock and Mr Tanner had no hesitation in showing Russell the yellow card.
North End strived to get a foothold in the game and on 37 minutes Paul Hayes hit a shot from 25-yards out which took a deflection off of a Doncaster defender, and the ball looped towards goal. Sullivan looked beaten but the ball landed on top of, rather than in the net.
Doncaster picked up their first yellow card of the afternoon in the 39th minute when Shelton Martis went clean through Chris Brown in the middle of the Rovers half. The yellow cards continued to come on 42 minutes, Simon Gillett and Callum Davidson both went in to the referee's notebook after Gillett's challenge was followed by a melee of players pushing and shoving each other.
North End had the first real opportunity of the second half. Callum Davidson played a ball down the left flank and Keith Treacy had isolated Doncaster full-back O'Connor. The Irishman cut across the face of goal before hitting a curling right-footer that just cleared Neil Sullivan's goal.
Simon Gillett hit a low drive on 52 minutes which Lonergan did well to get down and save, the North End keeper was on full alert again moments later when Billy Sharp picked up the ball on the edge of the box and curled an effort at goal, Lonergan watched as the ball sailed a couple of yards wide of the post.
Sharp provided the cutting edge for Doncaster Rovers once again in the 53rd minute of the match. A low ball into the box from O'Connor on the right and Sharp slammed a half-volley towards goal, it flew just a yard wide.
North End's best chance of the opening hour came on 54 minutes. Hayes and James swapped passes on the edge of the Doncaster box before James slotted a precision pass through the Doncaster defence, Hayes was on to it and his low drive was saved by Sullivan's legs.
Chris Brown was the next Preston man to go into the book, a lunging challenge on James Coppinger getting nowhere near the ball.
Preston were on top as the game approached the hour mark. Danny Mayor turned Friend inside out on the right flank before whipping in a decent ball to the near post, it was the first moment of magic from Mayor but there wasn't a PNE head to get on the end of the ball. On the other flank Treacy provided an equally dangerous cross and Hayes just mistimed his volley at the back post.
Hayes again provided a moment of hope on 64 minutes when he get on the end of a Gray cross at the near post to divert a volley towards the near post. Sullivan forced into a desperate save low down to turn the ball behind for a corner.
It was all North End at this stage but they could not find a way to turn their dominance into goals. On 69 minutes Coutts and Davidson combined down the left flank, Davidson looked up to find Hayes in acres of space inside the box, the striker looked up and tried to curl a shot beyond Sullivan, but the former Tottenham keeper was well placed to save.
Joshua King was brought on with twenty minutes of the match to play, he replaced Paul Hayes and in the process earned the accolade of being Preston's 1000th player. The Manchester United loanee keen to impress after signing on the morning of the match.
After the flurry of yellow cards it was inevitable that there would a red to follow and on 77 minutes Simon Gillett put in a wild challenge on Billy Jones for his second card of the game and was given his marching orders, sent down the tunnel to reduce the visitors to ten men.
King was given a couple of moments to show what he could do. The first a fine a run down the right which was brought to a finish when he was clipped by Martin Woods. King second chance should have produced a goal, the pacey striker was played through the centre of the pitch and couldn't quite believe his luck as he was clear through on goal, clean through. King had Brown in support but he opted to shoot and his tame effort was easily saved by Sullivan.
North End created some great chances in the dying stages of the game. Keith Treacy was played clean through right in front of goal, but Sullivan was out sharply to close down the angle and Treacy could only hit the ball at the Doncaster keeper's legs.
With 90 minutes on the clock, King showed great close control down the right channel before clipping a cross into the path of Chris Brown, the former Doncaster man failed to score against his old club when his header flash comfortably wide.
Brown had another great chance deep into stoppage time when he rose highest to a Paul Coutts cross from the left, Brown got his header on target but Sullivan again was i the right place at the right time to save the ball on the line.
That proved to be the final action of the game and the Lilywhites were left to reflect on a poor first half but an improved second half as they looked forward to Tuesday's trip to Paul Simpson's Stockport County.
