Town's 2008/09 season got off to the worst possible start as Preston came from behind to beat the Blues 2-1. Kevin Lisbie put Town ahead in the second minute but goals from Paul McKenna and Simon Whaley won the points for the visitors.

The Blues lined up as they did against West Ham on Monday with Tommy Smith, Pim Balkestein and Kevin Lisbie making their Town debuts, and Richard Wright his second debut for the club.

Town went in front only one minute and 12 seconds after kick-off. Danny Haynes cross from the right and Kevin Lisbie rose at the near post to nod home for his first goal for the Blues.

With chants of "We are top of the league” ringing around the ground, Town dominated the early stages, Owen Garvan shooting wide from 25 yards.

Haynes hit the sidenetting from a tight angle, prior to Kevin Lisbie teeing up Pablo Couñago in space in the penalty area, but the Spaniard failed to take what was a very good chance, hitting his shot weakly to Lonergan in the Preston goal.

On 21 Preston hit back with what was their first attack of the game. Callum Davidson cut in from the left and laid the ball to Paul McKenna on the edge of the area, from where he struck a shot past Richard Wright into the roof of the net. Davidson oughtn't to have been allowed to bring the ball so far and McKenna really should have been closed down.

The visitors weren't too far from another goal moments later when Neil Mellor laid the ball back from the byline but Barry Nicholson shot wide.

Town were still at times playing some lovely football. In the 26th minute a flowing move ended with Couñago playing in Lisbie, but the former Colchester man had strayed offside.

On the half our, Garvan caught McKenna in possession and played the ball to Lisbie inside the area, but the striker shot wide under pressure.

Preston went in front in the 32nd minute. Alan Quinn was penalised for a foul and was was left arguing with the referee as Barry Nicholson played a quick freekick to Billy Jones, who took the ball into the left of the Town area. Jones simply had to square across the Blues' six-yard box for someone to stroke in, which Simon Whaley duly did. It was a very, very poor goal to concede from a Town perspective.

With 10 minutes of the half remaining, Neil Mellor struck a shot from the edge of the area, which forced Wright into a save.

Town had started brightly, scored the goal and looked like they were going to go on to add to their total. However, a lack of sharpness and concentration at the back had allowed the visitors back into the game.

Alan Quinn was made to pay for his error on the goal and a generally below par performance as Tommy Miller replaced him for the second half. Miller went to his old right-sided midfield role with Danny Haynes switching to the left.

Town started positively and Couñago went just over within the first minute. Soon after there was confusion in the Lilywhites' box and the loose ball fell to Owen Garvan, but his shot scraped wide. Garvan hit another effort on 52, keeper Lonergan on this occasion saving.

In the 55th minute Couñago and Lisbie combined well on the left, but the ex-Charlton striker's low ball inside to Garvan was cut out.

Lee replaced Couñago to add some height to the Town attack with Preston happily sitting back on their lead and the Blues having little luck in finding a way through their massed defensive ranks.

Garvan saw a shot blocked on 63, then Balkestein lashed the rebound over off a defender for Town's first corner of the afternoon.

Smith hit a confident 30-yard strike but wide, before Neil Mellor was lucky not to be sent off for punching Balkestein right in front of the referee with the two on the ground having challenged for the ball. Referee Paul Taylor was only a matter of feet away and saw the incident but showed only a yellow card.

Rhodes replaced the quiet Haynes, prior to Lee curling a shot narrowly wide from the edge of the area.

Balkestein hit a thunderbolt just past Lonergan's post, but the Blues were still looking unlikely to break through Alan Irvine's side.

Nicholson made a fine saving challenge on Lee after the striker was about to strike a Rhodes knockdown with five minutes remaining. From the corner, Lonergan dropped the ball under pressure from McAuley and Preston were awarded a rather generous freekick.

In injury time, Lisbie cut in from the right and appeared to be clipped by Nicholson inside the area, however, referee Taylor waved away the protests. As time ran out, Rhodes lobbed over from 25 yards.

Town ought to have had the match won in the first half an hour or so during which time they controlled the game and had one or two opportunities to add to Kevin Lisbie's opener.

The two poor goals put the Blues on the back foot and in the second half, with Preston defending in depth, Town had neither the guile nor the muscle to break the visitors' defence down.

Town are likely to see more sides come to Portman Road with a more defensive approach this season after last year's excellent home record. It must be a concern to manager Jim Magilton that his team failed this season's first test.

Town: Wright, Wright, Balkestein, McAuley, Smith, Shumulikoski, Garvan, Quinn (Miller 46), Haynes (Rhodes 73), Couñago (Lee 62), Lisbie. Unused: Bruce, Supple. Att: 22,037.

Photo: Action Images

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