Luton Town v Preston North End Match Preview

18 June 2020

The Championship is back! Yes, it really is. We haven’t kicked a ball in anger since Saturday 7th March, but this weekend it resumes with matchday 38 remaining the Lilywhites’ trip to Luton Town.

Club News

iFollow Streaming FAQs

18 June 2020

Plenty of change has happened since the scheduled fixture back on 14th March, not least in the away dug out, where former Hatters boss Nathan Jones has returned to the hot seat at Kenilworth Road and has been back in charge for almost a month now.

Many of his former charges remain in situ within his squad, so he will know what to expect and how to get the best out of them, so it will be a tough re-opener for Alex Neil and his men, but the North End boss is pleased with his preparations, as you can watch and read if you click on his interview below.

The game will be very different to the one that was due to be played over three months ago. That afternoon would have seen a sold out away end behind the boys, whereas this time, the only way you can watch is on iFollow PNE.

If you are a season ticket holder, you can use the link below to check out what you should have received and what to do to watch the game, whilst for all our other loyal supporters, you can watch the game by signing up for a match pass – again the link is below.

Whatever happens, wherever you are watching the game, we will all still be right behind Alex and the squad as they look to push on from what has so far been a very position season. COYW!

For Your Information
Match Details: Luton Town v Preston North End, Kenilworth Road, Saturday 20th June 2020, kick-off 3pm
Competition: EFL Championship (38/46)
PNE colours: Green shirts, yellow shorts and socks, black goalkeeper

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

Redeem Your Virtual Season Ticket: Supporters can now redeem their virtual season ticket codes to access the remaining nine league games free of charge - click here for more information.

iFollow Streaming FAQs: Following the distribution of iFollow codes to season card holders on Tuesday evening, we would like to provide further clarity on a number of common questions raised by supporters - click here for the article.

Want To Watch The Game: Click here now to sign up for a match pass for just £10, with four camera coverage, full commentary from Jonathan Breeze and Tommy Spurr and graphics.

Match Officials: For this Saturday’s resumption of Championship action, we have a referee taking charge of his fourth Preston North End game of the season and his second away from Deepdale – click here for details of the officials.

We’ve Met Before: Preston North End will play their 22nd league game at Kenilworth Road this weekend, as they take on Luton Town in the EFL Championship. Click here for more details of past battles.

Opposition View: Luton Town manager Nathan Jones took charge of the Hatters for the second time less than four weeks ago, but he is ready for the resumption of the Championship – click here to read what he has to say.

Alex Neil: “We Are In A Better Shape Than When It Stopped”: Preston North End manager Alex Neil spoke to iFollow PNE less than 48 hours before the resumption of the Sky Bet Championship - click here for the manager’s full interview.

Declan Rudd Has The Hunger For Restart: Preston North End goalkeeper Declan Rudd says that there is a real determination in the squad to take full advantage of the position they find themselves in, as the Championship resumes this weekend – click here to read Dec’s thoughts.

Ben Pearson: ‘It Has Been A Long Road To Here’: Preston North End midfielder Ben Pearson admits it has been a long road to get back to playing after the coronavirus pandemic, but he has come to realise how much he has missed playing – Pearo’s interview can be found here.

Match Reports

Luton Town 1 Preston North End 1

20 June 2020

An early second half goal for Scott Sinclair was levelled up late on by Luton Town substitute Callum McManaman as Preston North End took a point from their first Championship game after the resumption.

The re-start came after more than three months since the Lilywhites last took to the pitch in a competitive game, on March 7th.

The game was preceded by a minute’s applause to remember all those lost to Covid-19, followed by both teams and the match officials uniting to take a knee after the whistle in solidarity with the black lives matter movement.

As expected, the tempo took a while to get going, but when it did, it was the green-clad away side with the better of the chances.

The first attempt in anger came 11 minutes in, as Sean Maguire, playing against the town in which he was born, saw a shot deflected just past Simon Sluga’s right-hand upright.

The Croatian goalkeeper denied the Irish international in the first really good chance of the game, saving at the feet of the PNE No.24 after he had got in behind the Hatters’ defence following skipper Paul Gallagher’s shot, which ricocheted off Matty Pearson from the edge of the D.

But eight minutes into the second half the deadlock was broken as Tom Barkhuizen won the ball in the middle of the pitch, raced forward, feeding Scott Sinclair, who bore down on goal and fired hard and low into the bottom right hand corner to put North End in front.

It was almost two less than four minutes later as Maguire was cynically fouled by home skipper Glen Rea, who was booked for the tackle on the edge of the box and Gallagher curled a beautiful free kick around the wall that Sluga had to be at full-stretch to get a hand to and push away for a corner.

Nugent – on for Maguire – won a corner with just less than 20 minutes left, which Gallagher put in for Andrew Hughes to flick a header goalwards that needed a big clearance from under the bar by the home side’s defence.

But with three minutes left the home side equalised when substitute McManaman picked up the ball just outside the D, drifted inside to the right and curled a shot that gave Rudd no chance into the top left corner from 18 yards out.

Jayden Stockley and Billy Bodin were added to the frontline in the final added on six minutes with North End pushing for a winner, but the game ended all-square, with the Lilywhites taking a point from the first game back.

Luton Town line-up: Sluga, Cainie (Bree, 75), D Potts, Tunnicliffe, M Pearson (Bradley, 84), Cornick, Rea (c) (Moncur, 75), Mpanzu, Carter-Vickers, Collins (Hylton, 84), Brown (McManaman, 75). Subs not used: Shea, Lee, Shinnie, Butterfield.

PNE line-up: Rudd, Browne, Hughes, Pearson, Bauer, Davies, Barkhuizen (Bodin, 90), Gallagher (c) (Fisher, 77), Maguire (Nugent, 65), Johnson (Stockley, 90), Sinclair (Pott, 77). Subs not used: Ripley, Harrop, Storey, Ledson.

Referee: Mr J Brooks

Ticket News

Ticket Information: Luton Town Away

12 March 2020

Preston North End’s first trip to Kenilworth Road since December 2006 is a sell-out for Lilywhites supporters.

First Team News

Match Officials: Luton Town Away

12 March 2020

The full allocation of 1,032 unreserved seating tickets in the Oak Road Stand, sold out in a matter of days when they went on sale last month.

There are still spaces available for supporters in a wheelchair and those fans must contact Luton Town directly on 01582 416976 to purchase these tickets.

Fans will still be able to make any returns or regrades, but only until 4pm on Friday. Any supporters collecting tickets from Luton can collect from the away turnstiles on Oak Road once the away coaches arrive at Kenilworth Road, after approximately 1.30pm.

First Team News

We’ve Met Before: Luton Town Away

18 June 2020

Luton Town have provided a supporters’ guide for travelling fans and you can click here to read the information.

Coach travel is also still available and will depart both Deepdale and Leyland at 9.30am, priced at £20 per person.

Preston North End

Standings

Luton Town v Preston North End Match Preview

iFollow Streaming FAQs

Luton Town 1 Preston North End 1

Ticket Information: Luton Town Away

Match Officials: Luton Town Away

We’ve Met Before: Luton Town Away

Luton Town Ticket Details

Standings

iFollow Streaming FAQs

Match Officials: Luton Town Away

We’ve Met Before: Luton Town Away

Ticket News

Luton Town Ticket Details

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