Report: Plymouth v Preston

Plymouth taking on Preston in a rearranged mid-week fixture was hardly set up to be a classic. However, with North End braving a makeshift defence, the 0-0 scoreline belies what was a thrilling game of end-to-end football.

The match will go down as being one characterised by wasted chances, and there were certainly a few. Preston manager Billy Davies said of the lack of finishing: ‘If both sides had taken their chances, it could have been 5-5 or 6-6.?

And that’s no exaggeration. Despite being asked to play through a bout of the ‘flu, Jamaican centre-half and Mr. Dependable Claude Davis had to be at his best to keep Plymouth at bay.

The North End defence at times looked desperate as they were unravelled by wave after wave of plucky Plymouth attacks. Davis excelled and virtually ran the entire back line himself.

At the other end, the more disciplined Plymouth defence was split by quality attacking play, which Preston have shown time and time again this season.

Early in the first half, Norris showed why Plymouth aren’t relegation fodder with a sparkling run from the half-way line, a move which epitomised the approach of both teams. His resulting shot, however, lacked conviction and was easily gathered by the dependable Carlo Nash.

Shortly after, Preston’s Brian O’Neil was guilty of missing a golden chance when he headed wide. Simon Whalley had another chance to get North End on the scoresheet, but his shot sailed into the crowd.

Whalley, acting as North End’s creative outlet in a tight midfield, performed admirably and was unlucky not to craft a goal for his efforts.

Davies has underlined the need for his squad to be more clinical in the final third in recent weeks, with a lack of prowess in front of goal costing them dearly against Middlesbrough (an unjust 2-0) and Reading (an unjust 2-1).

Nugent, however, mustn’t have been listening as he fired one straight at the keeper and then missed the chance of the game. Following a sublime cross by Sedgwick, the unmarked Young Player of the Year failed to find the target with his glancing header. No doubt Billy Davies was furiously scribbling ‘see me’ on the young striker’s report card.

North End operated what appeared to be a 4-5-1 formation, but in reality was more like 4-3-3, with a tight midfield and most of their attacking play coming down the right.

Fans of both sides would have been delighted with the quality of football going forwards – if not the finishing – in this thrilling encounter.

The hard-earned point was enough to keep Preston ahead of Wolves in the play-off chase as they failed to overturn Stoke City in a 0-0 bore draw.

Davies said of the Preston result: ‘It was a tremendous point for us tonight, with all the suspensions and injuries.

‘We really have to do well when we have these opportunities in the final third though. We have a couple of games in hand, promotion is in our hands.’

I, for one, am hoping that said hands aren’t coated in butter this season.