Preston North End Match v Luton Town Preview

12 December 2019

It is well over a decade since Preston North End last hosted Luton Town at Deepdale, but the Lilywhites will be looking to try and maintain their excellent record in PR1 against the Hatters.

Ticket News

Ticket Information: Luton Town Home

12 December 2019

The two managers, Alex Neil and Graeme Jones, are former team-mates, having played together in Scotland with Hamilton, but will face off against each other in the top job at their respective clubs for the first time.

After victory over Fulham on Tuesday night, the home side will be looking to make it six points from the week in what is their final home game before Christmas. Whilst Luton must head north once again, having played at Stoke City on the same night.

Joe Rafferty begins his suspension, after his red card against the Cottagers in midweek, but the PNE boss is hopeful of having a couple more options available to him, as the injury crisis of the last few weeks continues to ease.

It is the first home Saturday at 3pm league game for five weeks, with another one yet another further five weeks further down the line, so hopefully the team will have a good and vocal festive following behind them.

For Your Information
Match Details: PNE v Luton Town, Deepdale, Saturday 14th December 2019, kick-off 3pm
Competition: EFL Championship (22/46)
PNE colours: Home kit, goalkeeper in green
Click here to buy a ticket

Here’s all the coverage accessible on PNE.Com in preview of the game…

Ticket Information: For our last game before Christmas, we welcome Graeme Jones’ Luton Town to Deepdale at the weekend. Click here for more information.

Match Officials: The match official for Saturday’s clash with Graeme Jones’ Luton Town at Deepdale is experienced referee Gavin Ward. Click here for details of all the officials.

We’ve Met Before: Preston North End will entertain the Hatters for the 22nd time this weekend, looking to extend their winning run against Luton Town at Deepdale. Click here for more details of past battles.

How To Follow The Game: If you can’t make it to Deepdale for this weekend’s clash with Luton Town, don’t worry, we will have full coverage on PNE.Com and iFollow PNE. Click here for details of how you can follow the match.

The One And Only Issue 14: When asked who has the best one-liners at PNE, most of the players have no hesitation and say Jayden Stockley. Click here for details of this weekend’s programme.

Team News: Preston North End manager Alex Neil was able to recall Patrick Bauer for Tuesday night’s home game with Scott Parker’s Fulham. Click here for details of the options.

Alex Neil Ready To Take On Former Team-Mate: Preston North End manager Alex knows his opposite number at Luton Town well from their playing days up at Hamilton and he is looking forward to facing him as a coach. Click here for the manager’s full interview.

Sean Maguire: “It Will Be A Special Occasion”: Preston North End’s Luton-born Irish international striker, Sean Maguire, is looking forward to facing the club he grew up watching, when the Hatters visit Deepdale this weekend. Click here for more from Seani.

Match Reports

Preston North End 2 Luton Town 1

14 December 2019

A late goal from substitute Jayden Stockley gave Preston North End an early Christmas present as they moved back into third place in the Championship with a 2-1 win over Luton Town.

First Team News

Alex Neil: “The Fans And Players Should Be Nothing But Proud”

14 December 2019

Paul Gallagher had given the Lilywhites a fifth minute lead, firing home the rebound after his initial penalty had been saved by James Shea in the Hatters goal.

But Graeme Jones’ side equalised just before half-time when Irish striker James Collins converted from the spot after referee Gavin Ward had been conned by a dive from Callum McManaman in the box.

But former Luton loanee Stockley was the calmest man in the penalty area with six minutes left, taking a touch and firing home from inside the penalty area after shots from Josh Harrop and Paul Gallagher had been blocked.

Manager Alex Neil was able to welcome back Darnell Fisher – who replaced the suspended Joe Rafferty – and Gallagher, after injury, the latter replacing Brad Potts in the midfield.

And the North End skipper gave the side the perfect start. His corner from the left, in front of the Alan Kelly Town End – after Town became the first visiting team to switch the side around before kick-off – saw Patrick Bauer hauled down at the back post and match official Ward pointed to the spot.

The No.12’s usual routine saw him fire hard down the middle, but Shea, going to his right, managed to stretch out a glove and block the shot, only for Gallagher to react quickest and this time fire hard and low into the bottom right hand corner to make it 1-0.

The visitors grew into the game, however, and had a good spell around the quarter hour mark. Firstly, Luke Berry fired wide after the ball bounced around the penalty area and then captain Sonny Bradley saw a shot blocked by Andrew Hughes for a corner from the right corner of the penalty area.

At the half’s mid-point, North End almost doubled their lead when Hughes crossed from the left and Billy Bodin headed back onto the line, where Nugent was ready to bounce for his second goal in a week, but Matty Pearson scrambled the ball off the goal line and behind for a corner.

For the fourth time in five games the home side were left livid with a penalty decision just before the break, though. Former Wigan man McManaman through himself down in front of Paul Huntington and Ward pointed to the spot, much to PNE and their fans’ disbelief, Collins stepping up to level with two minutes of the half left.

In the second period the manager made changes to try and get the three points, with Harrop, Tom Barkhuizen and then Stockley all thrown into the mix, but it was at the other end that the match was also won.

With ten minutes left Declan Rudd proved the hero; Hatters sub Harry Cornick found a way past Ben Pearson and went clean through, one-on-one, against the North End No.1, but the goalkeeper stayed big and eventually stretched out his left foot to make a brilliant save.

And whilst the reaction and thrum of the noise around the ground was still ringing around Deepdale, the points were won up the other end.

Fisher picked up the ball and delivered a cross from the right and Harrop and Gallagher both saw attempts to score blocked before the ball fell in the six yard box for Stockley, who was the calmest man inside the ground, taking a touch before picking his spot in the bottom left hand corner and sending the crowd wild.

It could have been a win by an even bigger margin in the final minutes as firstly Barkhuizen raced onto Stockley’s through ball and passed across for Harrop, only for the ball to be just out of his reach on the stretch and then in the sixth minute of stoppage time Stockley could have had a second when Barkhuizen shows his raw pace to race away down the right and cross for the No.20, but he couldn’t keep his sweetly connected half-volley under the bar.

Jones’ men were lucky not to end the game with ten men, with Sonny Bradley elbowing Darnell Fisher off the ball in the eighth minute of the six that had been signalled to be added on, but only a yellow card was produced on an afternoon of decisions that left questions to be asked.

However, this didn’t matter as the Lilywhites made it back-to-back home wins in the week, to climb back up to third in the table heading into the final game before Christmas – and the season’s mid-point – away at Cardiff City in a week’s time.

PNE line-up: Rudd, Fisher, Hughes, Pearson, Bauer, Huntington, Bodin (Stockley, 76), Gallagher (c), Nugent (Harrop, 56), Browne (Barkhuizen, 66), Maguire. Subs not used: Hudson, Clarke, Ledson, Potts.

Luton Town line-up: Shea, Bradley (c), M Pearson, McManaman (Cornick, 67), Berry (Moncur, 86), Mpanzu, Collins, Bolton, LuaLua, Bree, Butterfield (Tunnicliffe, 61). Subs not used: Sluga, Shinnie, Jones, Sheehan.

Attendance: 12,083 (865 Luton Town fans)

Referee: Mr G Ward

Ticket News

Ticket Information: Luton Town Home

12 December 2019

For our last game before Christmas, we welcome Graeme Jones’ Luton Town to Deepdale at the weekend.

First Team News

Match Officials: Luton Town Home

12 December 2019

Normal matchday prices apply for this game and you can click here for a full run down of the prices and concession categories on offer for league games at Deepdale.

Tickets are now on general sale from the ticket office at Deepdale, either to be loaded to your member card or via a paper ticket. For more information on member cards and their usage, click here.

This season we are also offering print at home tickets, so you can buy online and print our your ticket without needing to collect on the day, click here for more information.

For those still turning up and buying on the day, purchases can be made in person at both the Sir Tom Finney ticket office and also use the Invincibles Pavilion ticket office, which can be used to buy tickets for any part of the ground, not just the Pavilion. The Sir Tom Finney ticket office is open from 9am on a matchday and the Invincibles Pavilion ticket office is open from 1pm.

Tickets can be purchased at Deepdale from 9am until 5pm on Thursday, 9am until 6pm on Friday night, from 9am until kick-off on the day of the game, both in person and over the ticket hotline – 0344 856 1966.

First Team News

We’ve Met Before: Luton Town Home

12 December 2019

Paper and print at home tickets can be purchased online at MyPNE.Com 24/7 right up until two hours before kick-off, with collections available from the Sir Tom Finney Stand collections windows, to the left of the ticket office. The online service is now fully responsive on both mobile and tablet. Or, if you have a member card, you can buy right up until kick-off on MyPNE.Com and load your ticket straight to your card!

For Hatters fans, tickets are available on the day, there will be no increases for matchday purchases and tickets are available for visiting supporters from the away ticket office next to the Bill Shankly Kop on Lowthorpe Road, with cash and card payments accepted, which will open from 1.30pm.

For home fans travelling to the game, the Leyland shuttle bus will be in operation, pick up points and times are as follows: 1.20pm, Leyland Tesco; 1.30pm, Railway Pub Leyland; 1.40pm, Beam and Brycg Pub Bamber Bridge; arrive Deepdale, 2.10pm. Tickets are £3 for a single or £4 return.

Standings

Ticket Information: Luton Town Home

Alex Neil: “The Fans And Players Should Be Nothing But Proud”

Match Officials: Luton Town Home

We’ve Met Before: Luton Town Home

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