Town's attacking toothlessness in front of goal was again on display as the Blues lost 1-0 at Preston despite having the majority of the possession. Another defensive lapse led to Michael Ricketts heading home the game's only goal in the fifth minute.

Boss Jim Magilton stuck with the 4-4-2 formation utilised at Hull a week ago and less successfully on Saturday against Southend with Jon Walters passing a fitness test and partnering Danny Haynes with Alan Lee suspended and Franny Jeffers having left the club with a hamstring injury. In midfield, George O'Callaghan came in for Owen Garvan, who dropped to the bench, while Matt Richards started on the left with Gary Roberts moving to the right with Jaime Peters omitted from the 16.

The Blues started brightly and weren't far from creating a chance in the third minute. Jon Walters flicked on David Wright's corner but George O'Callaghan couldn't latch onto the loose ball ahead of keeper Andy Lonergan.

Preston went ahead with their first attack of the game. Left midfielder Danny Pugh was given time and space to send in a deep cross and Ricketts escaped the attentions of Jason De Vos to head the ball back across Lewis Price and into the net.

Danny Haynes wasn't too far from scoring an equaliser in the eighth minute, Lonergan pushing away his shot and then scrambling across to block Walters's rebound. Despite conceding the goal, Town had made a strong start, passing the ball around but without creating any further openings.

On 24 Alex Bruce received a painful blow to the groin when blocking a shot and required several minutes' treatment.

David Nugent, a regular scorer against the Blues in the past, received a yellow card in the 34th minute for kicking the ball away. While referee Mark Clattenburg was noting the striker's name, Gavin Williams made his return in midfield for Matt Richards, whose ankle had been injured by a late tackle by Franck Songo'o earlier on. Williams was quickly into the action and had a shot blocked on the edge of the area.

England U21 international Nugent got away beyond the Town defence in the 39th minute, but was forced wide and hit a wayward strike which failed to test Price. Soon after, Danny Haynes picked up a rare yellow card for a fit of pique at a linesman after the official had failed to give a foul in his favour.

The young striker was gifted possession as the game moved into injury time and broke into the area on the right, his shot striking a defender and going wide. George O'Callaghan in particular felt that a ball across the box would have been a better option.

Left-back Dan Harding received his 10th yellow card of the season just prior to the whistle for a tackle on Songo'o, although the Town man appeared to win the ball. Harding now misses the games against Plymouth and Barnsley.

The Blues were probably better than their 1-0 deficit at half-time but as so often they had failed to turn possession into clear-cut chances and had conceded a preventable goal.

Preston replaced scorer Ricketts with Daniele Dichio at the break, the Blues sticking with the same 11 which had ended the first half.

Sylvain Legwinski's 51st minute shot deflected off a defender and went over. Five minutes later, Jason De Vos thought he should have been awarded a penalty when Dichio pulled him back as he tried to meet a corner. Referee Clattenburg was probably unsighted and waved away the appeals.

Lewis Price bundled a Nugent shot wide on 56. Soon after, Gavin Williams picked up his ninth yellow card of the season for a foul on Dichio. It seemed harsh as Songo'o in particular had committed a number of fouls without receiving a caution, whereas this was Williams's first offence.

Haynes did well to take a Walters flick on his chest and volley only just over in the 59th minute, prior to Fabian Wilnis, red-carded in the corresponding fixture last season, taking over from Dan Harding. The left-back had been the victim of one of Songo'o's poor challenges and despite treatment to his knee was unable to continue.

Preston were within a whisker of adding to their lead on 64 when Callum Davidson lashed a shot from the edge of the area off the inside of Price's left post, Town defenders getting to the loose ball first and putting it behind.

A minute later, Davidson was cautioned for a foul on Gary Roberts. The freekick was played in to Danny Haynes who forced a save from Lonergan, Matt Hill reaching the loose ball first. In the 68th minute Owen Garvan replaced George O'Callaghan.

The yellow cards were coming thick and fast, Chris Sedgwick's name entering the book for a foul on Garvan. David Wright curled the freekick over.

Songo'o finally added his name to the lengthy list of booked Preston players for a foul on Gary Roberts, the loanee from Portsmouth's fourth challenge which might have been considered worthy of a card.

Jon Walters felt he was tugged back by Liam Chilvers while they were chasing a ball down the left in the 75th minute but Clattenburg was unimpressed. Not long after, Danny Haynes hit a shot on the turn but too weak to test Lonergan.

Dichio hit the net in the 81st minute but the whistle had already gone for offside. Sub Brett Ormerod became the fifth Preston played to be booked for a foul on Haynes, although it seemed a somewhat harsh freekick let alone a yellow card.

Jon Walters ought to have had a chance to put the Blues on terns on 87 when the ball was stabbed away from Williams into his path inside the area. However, the January signing from Chester didn't react quickly enough and the opportunity went.

Haynes had the ball in the net with two minutes of normal time remaining, but Walters had handled, something which appears to have become a habit amongst Town's front players in recent days.

In injury time boss Jim Magilton was sent to the stand for complaining that only three minutes were added on by referee Clattenburg. The frustrated Town manager left the field by climbing over the dugout to reach the dilapidated and unused terrace behind it.

As the three minutes ran down, Lonergan dived at the feet of Williams from a deep cross and the Welshman was unable to send the ball back across goal.

In many ways a performance all too familiar since Christmas. Town did enough to deserve a point or even all three but the lack of firepower up front and a defensive error contrived another narrow defeat. Again the delivery from the flanks was often poor, while virtually all of Town's set pieces were wasted.

Preston, with Nugent having a quiet night, were by no means world beaters, but defended well and took what was their only clear-cut chance.

Town adding someone in the mould of Franny Jeffers to the squad looks vital if the Blues are going to get back to scoring - and therefore winning - ways.

Town: Price, Wright, Harding (Wilnis 61), De Vos, Bruce, Legwinski, O'Callaghan (Garvan 68), Richards (Williams 34), Roberts, Walters, Haynes. Unused: Supple, Clarke.

Photo: Action Images

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