Preston 0-0 Bolton

0-3

Boring game yes, but the fitness and grit in the team now gives a lot of hope. Both teams were short on quality but as I said the year we came down you get a long way in the Championship by being fit and organised both of which we looked tonight. 

6 games unbeaten is a great achievement considering where we've come from, and the hand Parky's been dealt makes it all the more impressive. Onwards and upwards.

Started very slow but grew as the game went on. thought Little played well. ground out a good draw if we can beat Reading then it will be a very good point. No Beevers on Tuesday!!

Could have been worse, I suppose. I much prefer a draw to a defeat!

Keegan wrote:Could have been worse, I suppose. I much prefer a draw to a defeat!

At least we're getting harder to beat.

A point is fine but we could still be back to bottom of the league by tea time tomorrow.
And Sunderland are likely to get the new manager bounce thing over the next month or so and will probably reinforce using Coleman's contacts in January. We need to win some games starting with Reading because we're not likely to get much away at Wolves,

Report: Preston North End 0-0 Bolton Wanderers

Wanderers extended their unbeaten run in the Sky Bet Championship to six games with a goalless draw away at Preston North End on Friday evening.

The Whites did enjoy opportunities to win the game with Adam Armstrong coming closest, but they were forced to settle for a point come the final whistle at Deepdale.

TEAM NEWS

Wanderers named an unchanged starting XI from the side who turned out against Norwich City prior to the international break, with Connor Hall amongst the Whites' substitutes.

FIRST HALF

The game started brightly, with Karl Henry receiving a booking inside two minutes for a challenge deemed worthy of a yellow card by referee Simon Hooper.

And the Whites were soon under the cosh from the home side, with North End seeing an effort somehow elude the goalmouth after flying across Ben Alnwick’s in the sixth minute.

The lively start continued, but it was pressure which was falling more so in the home side’s favour as Wanderers remained in their own third of the pitch for the most part.

Callum Robinson then came close to opening the scoring in the 14th minute as he attempted to flick the ball home from a corner, but his effort flew inches wide of the far post.

That was followed up by a deft Paul Huntington header from a free-kick on the edge of the box which was narrowly wide of the goalmouth.

A much-needed breather followed for Phil Parkinson’s men, with some form of respite coming in the form of forays upfield and into Preston’s own third of the pitch.

Alex Neil’s side were still looking a threat on the break however, with Wanderers having to be on their guard.

Stephy Mavididi was next to come close for the hosts, with his glancing header flying inches wide on the half hour mark.

The Whites saw their best chance of the game fall to Josh Vela soon after, with the midfielder’s shot from the edge of the box being tipped over the crossbar by Chris Maxwell.

The opportunity seemed to be just the tonic for Wanderers, with Adam Armstrong seeing his angled drive collected by the Preston keeper shortly after.

Bolton’s pressure continued, with Sammy Ameobi a constant threat for Parkinson’s men.

And as the half drew to its conclusion, neither side was able to break the deadlock as the first period finished goalless.

SECOND HALF

With no changes at the break for either side, the clash got back underway under the floodlights with Wanderers attacking towards their 3,300+ strong away following for the second period.

And the Whites came out all guns blazing, with the hosts under pressure from the off while David Wheater saw his free-kick fail to trouble Maxwell.

The hosts were soon back on the attack themselves however, with a free-kick - which saw Ameobi booked for the initial foul - thundering into the Bolton wall inside the first ten minutes of the second period.

It was very much end-to-end at Deepdale, while Henry saw an effort from 20 yards out always rising on the hour mark.

Wanderers saw a succession of chances go begging soon after too, with Armstrong seeing his show following a mazy run into the area palmed away while Antonee Robinson proved himself a nuisance down the left flank.

The 71st minute of the game saw the first change for Bolton too, with Armstrong being replaced with Will Buckley.

And he almost made an immediate impact, with his dangerous ball across goal being cleared away at the death while Henry's thunderbolt from 20 yards from the resulting corner was just over the crossbar.

Wanderers were looking confident on the ball and with each passing attack, they appeared to be edging closer and closer to a goal.

North End weren't quite finished themselves though, with substitute Daniel Johnson looking lively for the home side.

With five minutes to go, the Whites made another change in the form of Filipe Morais who replaced Vela.

The game was far from over despite the clock ticking down, and with four minutes of time added on, it was all hands to the pump for Wanderers with Ameobi's mazy run into the mix deserving more.

Come full time however, the spoils were shared.

FULL TIME

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Good point and much improved second half performance after a poor first half. Our blatant hoofball tactics are really embarrassing though. Don't know why Parky insists on playing this way as it never gets us anywhere anyway. Just ends up surrendering posession to the opposition every time. All our best moments come from genuine bits of individual skill from the likes of Ameobi, Armstrong, Morais etc.

I kind of expected a dip in performance after playing with so much confidence and freedom against Norwich so I'm glad we got away with a point, but we have to get it back for the Reading game which surely has to be targeted as a must win game.