Match Preview: Luton Town (A)

15 March 2022

Preston North End head to Kenilworth Road on Wednesday night looking for a first league double over the Hatters since the 1999/2000 season.

Match Information
Venue: Kenilworth Road
Date: Wednesday 16^th March, 7.45pm kick-off
Competition: EFL Sky Bet Championship (Matchday 38/46)
Kit: Away kit – available to order here!

Ticket Information

Tickets for this fixture will remain on sale online from www.mypne.com, over the phone on 0344 856 1966 and in person from the ticket office until 1pm on Wednesday.

Luton will not be selling to our supporters on the evening of the game, but PNE fans will be able to buy over the phone from the Luton Town ticket office between 1pm and 5.45pm by calling 01582 416976.

Match Coverage

Supporters worldwide will be able to watch this fixture live on iFollow PNE with a £10 match pass, or listen to live commentary with a £2.50 match pass or £4.49 monthly pass. Click here to subscribe!

There will also be the usual coverage here on PNE.Com, including pre-match build-up, live updates on our match centre and post-match reaction.

PNE Team News

Manager Ryan Lowe confirmed in his pre-match press conference that midfielder Ryan Ledson will miss the remainder of the season as he is set to undergo an operation on a knee injury.

Skipper Alan Browne’s late substitution on Saturday was confirmed to be cramp so he will be available on Wednesday night, while Liam Lindsay, who went off with a knock to his ankle, is also expected to be available.

Josh Earl is back on the grass after missing the Cardiff game, whereas Greg Cunningham and Tom Barkhuizen will miss out.

The Opposition

Having improved on previous league finishes in each of their last six seasons, Luton Town have continued their upwards curve so far this term, currently sat just outside the Play-Off places.

A run of nine victories in their 14 Championship games since the turn of the year has catapulted them towards the top six and, with ten games left of their season, they are well within the Play-Off picture.

Luton, managed by Nathan Jones, have also been buoyed recently by an FA Cup run, reaching the fifth round and giving Chelsea a tough evening at Kenilworth Road, but the European champions came out on top.

Key Stats

The Hatters have only lost once at Kenilworth Road in the league so far in 2022, with that defeat coming against QPR at the weekend.

North End’s last victory away against Luton Town came in November 1999, with a brace from David Eyres earning a 2-0 victory.

PNE have kept five clean sheets in their last six games away from home, whereas Luton Town have scored in each of their last seven games in all competitions.

Our Last Meeting

Emil Riis scored a brace to earn PNE a 2-0 victory over the Hatters when they came to Deepdale in late October.

A day after penning a new deal with the club, Emil opened the scoring with an unbelievable strike from an incredibly tight angle, before he doubled his tally for the day from the spot in first-half stoppage time.

Man In The Middle

Steve Martin will take charge of his first PNE game of the season on Wednesday night.

He is certainly no stranger to North End, though, having previously refereed 20 of their fixtures, and the Lilywhites have only lost four of those.

Martin, who has shown 81 yellow cards and four reds in his 26 games this season, will be assisted by Nigel Lugg and Steven Meredith, while Charles Breakspear is on fourth official duty.

Pre-Match Interviews

Ryan Looking To
‘Finish On A High’ Seani Itching To
Be Involved

Match Reports

Match Report: Luton Town 4 PNE 0

16 March 2022

Preston North End suffered a 4-0 defeat at Kenilworth Road against Luton Town.

Goals from Luke Berry either side of Peter Kioso’s strike gave the hosts a 3-0 lead at the break, before Bambo Diaby’s own goal made it four early in the second period.

Luton’s first of the evening came inside the opening ten minutes, with a cross from the right falling kindly to Berry, who slotted home to break the deadlock.

Cameron Archer almost drew PNE level on 21 minutes, as he got on the end of a ball over the top from Daniel Johnson and beat two men before taking aim inside the area, but James Shea saved and saw the shot over the bar.

The Hatters doubled their lead before the hour mark, though, as a James Bree free-kick made its way through North End bodies in the area and Kioso was able to tap home.

Iversen was equal to Amari’i Bell’s header on 41 minutes, but was left wrongfooted just a few moments later, as Berry’s flick at the near post trickled past him to make it three.

Ryan Lowe made two changes at the break, with Josh Murphy and Ched Evans introduced, but Luton would have had a fourth on 52 minutes were it not for Brad Potts’ goal-line clearance to deny Kioso’s header.

The hosts did find another goal just short of the hour mark, though, as Iversen’s save to deny Bell inadvertently bounced off Diaby and into the back of the net.

PNE had a great chance to pull one back soon after through Murphy, but he fired wide first time from ten yards on the end of Potts’ cross, and the game ended at 4-0.

Luton Town line-up: Shea; Kioso, Burke (Onyedinma, 23), Potts; Bree, Campbell, Clark, Berry (Mendes Gomes, 81), Bell; Adebayo, Cornick (Hylton, 77). Subs not used: Isted, Lansbury, Onyedinma, Muskwe, Thorpe.

PNE line-up: Iversen; van den Berg, Diaby, Hughes; Potts (Sinclair, 80), Whiteman, Browne, Johnson, McCann (Murphy, 45); Riis (Evans, 45), Archer. Subs not used: Ripley, Bauer, Rafferty, Maguire.

Attendance: 9.408 (614 PNE fans)

Referee: Mr S Martin.

Ticket News

Luton Town Tickets On Sale

14 March 2022

Tickets for our away match against Luton Town on Wednesday 16th March will remain on sale until 1pm on the day of the game.

Preston North End head to Kenilworth Road for a 7.45pm kick-off, and the club have been given a full allocation of 1,032 unreserved seated tickets.

Tickets will remain on sale online from www.mypne.com, over the phone on 0344 856 1966 and in person from the ticket office until 1pm on Wednesday.

Luton have confirmed they will not be selling to our supporters on the evening of the game, but once tickets have gone off sale from Deepdale, PNE fans will be able to buy over the phone from Luton’s ticket office until 5.45pm by calling 01582 416976.

Collections can also be made from Kenilworth Road and please note, Luton operate a cashless stadium.

Ticket prices:

Adults £26

65 to 74-year-olds £20
19 to 21-year-olds £20

Aged 75 and over £17
U19s £17

U17s £9

U10s £6

Ambulant disabled supporters will pay one price category lower than their relevant age band, with a carer ticket provided free of charge where required.

Five spaces for wheelchair users are also available, and supporters should contact Luton Town directly on 01582 416976 to book these.

There are around 20 steps to access the away stand, so any supporters who require assistance to enter the ground via an alternative entrance are advised to contact the Luton Town ticket office.

Coach travel is available from both Deepdale and Leyland for £22 per person, with a departure time of 2.15pm.

You can find more information in Luton Town's Away Supporters' Guide by clicking here.

Standings

Get closer to the action this season!

Want to be our new signing?