Wasteful Luton fail to fire in front of goal as Town fall to Preston defeat

Luton's frustrating start to the Championship continued as their wastefulness in front of goal was punished by a 1-0 defeat at Preston North End this afternoon.

With the hosts, under newly-appointed manager Paul Heckingbottom, having suffered seven straight league defeats overlapping two seasons, and Town able to choose their strongest match-day squad, bolstered by the additions of Mark McGuinness and Liam Walsh, with Reece Burke and Mads Andersen both fit enough for the bench, hopes were high that following one point from their opening two games, Rob Edwards' side would finally spark into life.

However, that wasn't the case after an afternoon of poor finishing and terrific Lilywhites defending, as Luton, whose goalscoring in the Premier League almost kept them up, fired off 17 shots in total, but just four on target, six off, while seven were blocked by a dogged home side’s back-line. Making two changes from the goalless draw with Portsmouth, McGuinness in for an immediate debut, Reuell Walters dropping out, while James Shea replaced the suspended Thomas Kaminski.

The newly recruited centre half took his place in the centre of Town's back three, allowing Teden Mengi to move to the right, as he demonstrated his aerial presence early on, and an eagerness to get the ball from Shea. However, Luton, as they did more than once in the first half, gave possession away, Emil Riis unleashing a powerful drive that was well collected down to his right by the Hatters’ replacement stopper.

At the other end, Elijah Adebayo couldn't keep his header down from a Doughty corner, although Town were still proving in a charitable mood at the back, Chiedozie Ogbene's throw straight into the path of Will Keane who found Riis, the Dane keen to shoot whenever the chance arose, Luton with enough men back to crowd him out.

Tahith Chong almost got in on the quarter of an hour mark, Jordan Storey just back in the nick of time to wrestle him off the ball inside the area, while Preston went close midway through the half when Will Keane sprung the offside trap to receive a threaded pass, Shea out to make a brave sprawling stop at his feet.

The Hatters then threatened twice in quick succession, Morris meeting another Alfie Doughty corner, his header acrobatically tipped over the bar by Freddie Woodman, while Shandon Baptiste brilliantly tricked his man on the edge of the box to fashion a shooting opportunity that he nonchalantly, but unfortunately sidefooted wide.

The hosts made Town pay on 39 minutes with a wonderful backheeled flick by Kaine Kesler-Hayden on the left released Riis, who got his head up to pick out the unmarked Keane. He steadied himself and rifled into the bottom corner to end the hosts' lengthy drought of over 11 hours without a league goal, as Shea conceded for the first time in a first team game since April 2022.

Edwards’ men tried to hit back as the game entered first half stoppage time, three set-pieces unconvincingly dealt with by Woodman, the keeper escaping any punishment as Mengi's shot deflected behind, Adebayo nodding another delivery off target. After the break, Stefan Thordarson arrowed wide from 25 yards, but from then on it was pretty much all Luton in terms of possession and territory, Adebayo's first time attempt from Jordan Clark's flick beaten away by Woodman.

Hatters looked to up the tempo in search of a leveller, Clark picking off a loose ball out from defence and driving forward unchallenged before unleashing a low drive that was repelled by Woodman. With an hour gone, Luton thought they had won a penalty as Adebayo was tripped when breaking into the box, but referee Dean Whitestone adjudged the offence came just outside the area, awarding the visitors a free kick that was wasted by Doughty.

Shea was off his line once more to stop Riis from giving the hosts a second which would have surely secured the points, as at the halfway point, Walsh was given his Luton debut in place of Chong, Walters replacing Ogbene. You got the feeling it just wouldn't be Luton's day when a long ball caused havoc, Doughty seeing his drive charged down and Mengi's effort taking a big deflection causing it to loop over the bar.

With 18 minutes left, another burst from Kesler-Hayden looked to have won the hosts a spotkick, as he went over under an outstretched foot from Walters, referee Whitestone immediately whistling, only to give the decision Luton's way and book the North End player for diving. As time ticked on, Luton kept on creating and failing to take their chances, Doughty collecting a ball inside the area and time trusting his right foot for once, hammered over.

Luton swiftly introduced Joe Taylor and Cauley Woodrow for his first action of the season, Morris and Clark making way, as Walters did splendidly to win a corner, only to see the frustrating theme of the afternoon continue, Doughty's ball in headed over the top by Adebayo. With the hosts' having the bit between the teeth as they eyed a clean sheet, skipper Ben Whiteman produced a brilliantly timed tackle on Adebayo, who then won another header, and although this time hitting the target, saw it bounce meekly through to Woodman, as the points remained at Deepdale.

Lilywhites: Freddie Woodman, Ben Whiteman (C), Liam Lindsay, Will Keane (Duane Holmes 74), Emil Riis, Mads Frokjar (Ryan Ledson 64), Jordan Storey, Andrew Hughes, Stefan Thordarson (Sam Greenwood 74), Kaine Kesler-Hayden, Brad Potts. Subs not used: Dai Cornell, Jack Whatmough, Layton Stewart, Jeppe Okkels, Patrick Bauer, Kian Best.

Hatters: James Shea, Chiedozie Ogbene (Reuell Walters 67), Teden Mengi, Mark McGuinness, Amari'i Bell, Alfie Doughty, Shandon Baptiste (Zack Nelson 85), Jordan Clark (Cauley Woodrow 79), Tahith Chong (Liam Walsh 67), Carlton Morris (C Joe Taylor 79), Elijah Adebayo. Subs not used: Jameson Horlick, Joe Johnson, Mads Andersen, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu. Referee: Dean Whitestone. Booked: Whiteman 41, Baptiste 54, Frokjar 57, Kesler-Hayden 72, Greenwood 76, Holmes 81. Attendance: 15,245.