Luton Town v Preston North End

[Mighty T.A.L.]

North End have lost just once in 18 matches and will travel to Luton, a team who have lost their last eight on the bounce, confident of another victory.

Sean St Ledger is a doubt for the league leaders - Kelvin Wilson replaced head injury victim St Ledger in the 1-1 draw with Coventry in midweek and is on standby again.

Reserve goalkeeper Chris Neal (knee), Callum Davidson (groin and knee) and fellow left-back Matt Hill (hamstring) are still out, while striker Patrick Agyemang will undergo a fitness test.

Luton boss Mike Newell will not risk including Chris Coyne (knee) as the defender is short of match fitness. Forward Sam Parkin (ankle), utility man Paul Underwood and defender Sol Davis remain sidelined.

Source: http://home.skysports.com

[kennethlindheim]

Luton:

23 Dean Kiely
2 Kevin Foley
26 Markus Heikkinen
25 Leon Barnett
16 Lewis Emanuel
7 Carlos Edwards
8 Steve Robinson
11 Dean Morgan
18 Ahmet Brkovic
28 David Bell
9 Rowan Vine

Subs
1 Marlon Beresford
5 Russell Perrett
17 Richard Langley
10 Warren Feeney
20 Adam Boyd

Preston:

22 Carlo Nash
2 Graham Alexander
4 Danny Pugh
12 Sean St.Ledger
14 Liam Chilvers
7 Chris Sedgwick
15 Simon Whaley
16 Paul McKenna
20 Tommy Miller
9 Patrick Agyemang
10 David Nugent

Subs
1 Andy Lonergan
28 Kelvin Wilson
23 Lewis Neal
11 Danny Dichio
17 Brett Ormerod

[kennethlindheim]

1:0 Rowan Vine (2)

[kennethlindheim]

2:0 Carlos Edwards (19)

[kennethlindheim]

2-0 Half-time!

[kennethlindheim]

2-0 Full-time!

[2Slick]

Luton 2 Preston 0

Luton's run of results without a win is finally over after the Hatters rediscovered their early season form to send Preston crashing to only third league defeat of the season.

First half goals from Rowan Vine, his first in eight matches, plus a strike from Carlos Edwards was enough to topple Preston off the top of the Championship table.

With Markus Heikkinen returning to the heart of Luton's defence and with Dean Morgan partnering Vine in attack, Luton showed more attacking threat as their visitors looked second best throughout.

David Bell returned to Luton's starting line-up as Hatters boss Mike Newell made a number of key changes to his side.

Preston named that same side which drew with Coventry in midweek, with former Hatter Graham Alexander named in the visitors' starting line-up.

If ever a promising start was need to a game by the Hatters, this was it. With no win in eight matches, the Luton fans inside Kenilworth Road needed something to cheer.

And they got the perfect response as the Hatters broke the deadlock within 74 seconds. After Simon Whaley's conceded a free-kick following a foul on Carlos Edwards, Bell sent a free-kick which eluded everyone in the area.

But, as Steve Robinson picked up the loose ball on the left, the midfielder floated over a cross which found Vine, who remained onside, and showed composure to tuck the ball beyond the reach of Preston goalkeeper Carlo Nash.

Preston had rarely threatened as the home side almost doubled their advantage on 13 minutes. With Edwards running out of room down the right, the Trinidad and Tobago midfielder picked out Kevin Foley, whose first time cross was turned towards goal by the unmarked Robinson, as Nash was forced to acrobatically tip over the crossbar.

However Luton didn't have to wait long to double their advantage with some exciting build up play leading to Edwards smashing home his sixth goal of the season from close range.

With Vine picking out Bell bursting down the left wing, the former Rushden & Diamonds midfielder saw his cross only half cleared by the Preston defence. Despite Morgan seemingly losing the chance to take advantage, the ex-Reading man still managed to fire a low cross across the face of the goal, which was powered home by Edwards from six yards.

Luton continued to dominate the match and Vine was unfortunate not to have grabbed his second of the afternoon on 26 minutes.

The striker latched onto Morgan's perfectly weighted pass and displayed great pace and power to hold off the challenge of Liam Chilvers, only to see his 25-yard run and shot agonisingly roll wide of Nash's goal.

Luton continued to push forward and some neat build up play involving Edwards and Foley down the right on 33 minutes almost brought another goal with Barnett rising highest to guide a header straight into the arms of Nash.

Preston had rarely troubled the Luton defence, but when they did find space in the Hatters penalty area they couldn't take advantage.

On 34 minutes, David Nugent got to the by-line and pulled the ball back to the unmarked Tommy Miller, but the on-loan winger was denied an almost certain goal by a well timed tackle from Bell.

Preston finished the half as the stronger side, but despite Paul McKenna's wayward long range effort in stoppage time, Luton's defence coped admirably.

AT HALF TIME: LUTON 2 V 0 PRESTON

Luton were dealt a blow at the start of the second half when the impressive Morgan hobbled off with an injury and had to be replaced by Feeney.

Neither side showed much in the way of scoring opportunities until Chris Sedgwick almost caught Dean Kiely napping on 59 minutes, but the midfielder's effort from 20-yards was always curling away from goal.

Luton's first opportunity of the second half arrived two minutes later when Edwards picked out Bell on the edge of the Preston area. The midfielder then neatly teed up Robinson for a first time shot, but the Hatters skipper was denied a first goal of the season by Nash's catch.

Alexander failed to hit the target with a 22-yard free-kick from a promising position, as the visitors still went in search of their first shot on target.

Barnett was almost guilty of conceding what would have been own goal of the season on 71 minutes when Danny Dichio's header caused the centre-half and Kiely problems, but despite almost slicing the ball into his own net, the youngster recovered well to clear the danger.

Preston continued to surge forward and Sedgwick almost found the target when he riffled a 20-yard first time shot narrowly over the crossbar.

The Hatters went searching of a third to put the game beyond Preston's reach and Brkovic's spectacular 20-yard curling effort on 81 minutes, from Edwards' short pass, almost found the top corner of Nash's net.

Luton breathed a huge sigh of relief when Kiely came to the rescue with two spectacular saves inside the space of a minute as first he tipped over Nugent's powerful header and then produced a save at full stretch save to prevent Brett Ormerod from getting on the score sheet.

Luton could have added a third goal in the closing stages with Bell's thunderous shot kept out by Nash, before Vine struck the side netting with a first time shot, following some good work from Brkovic down the left.

AT FULL TIME: LUTON 2 V 0 PRESTON

Luton: Kiely, Foley, Edwards, Robinson, Vine (Perrett 90), Morgan (Feeney 56), Emanuel, Brkovic, Barnett, Heikkinen, Bell

Subs not used: Beresford, Langley, Boyd

Bookings: Robinson (47), Vine (87)

Preston: Nash, Alexander, Pugh, Sedgwick, Agyemang (Dichio 56), Nugent, St Ledger, Chilvers, Whaley (Neal 74), McKenna, Miller (Ormerod 46)

Subs not used: Lonergan, Wilson

Bookings: McKenna (47)

Referee: Mr M J Jones

Attendance: 7,665 (809 from Preston)

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