Ryan Lowe’s Preston beat Coventry with another clean sheet

Posted Thursday, September 01, 2022 by PA

Preston are yet to concede a goal in the Championship this season after Emil Riis’ 73rd-minute winner secured a 1-0 victory at Coventry.

The Danish striker finished as Preston’s top scorer last season and came off the bench to grab his first of the campaign, maintaining Ryan Lowe’s side’s unbeaten record in the Sky Bet Championship and making it seven clean sheets from seven.

It was an unhappy ending to Coventry’s first home game of the season after they were unable to play at the CBS Arena following the Commonwealth Games due to the state of the pitch.

Lowe tried to coax some life into his Preston attack, which had scored just once prior to Wednesday night by making three changes, Ben Woodburn was handed his first North End league start alongside Ched Evans and Alistair McCann, who replaced Alan Browne, Daniel Johnson and Ryan Ledson.

After losing their previous two league games 3-2, Coventry boss Mark Robins replaced Simon Moore with Ben Wilson between the sticks while Josh Eccles came in for Fankaty Dabo at right wing-back.

Martyn Waghorn replaced Kasey Palmer and Manchester City loanee Callum Doyle was handed his first league start in place of Jonathan Panzo.

Wilson was called into action inside the first 10 minutes when he was forced to tip Greg Cunningham’s effort round the post, before the Sky Blues had to withstand a Preston onslaught.

Woodburn, whose six appearances prior to Wednesday night’s game had all come off the bench, nodded Ben Whiteman’s corner narrowly wide of Wilson’s right-hand post and then blazed over after Jamie Allen gave the ball away in his own half.

Evans also saw a shot blocked for the visitors while Robbie Brady flashed a shot wide as Preston failed to make the breakthrough.

But Robins’ men came through Preston’s pressure as they looked to hold onto a first clean sheet of the season and managed to create chances of their own when Doyle stepped forward and unleashed a drive from distance that Freddie Woodman was forced to beat to safety.

Jake Bidwell came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock for the hosts when he curled a left-footed effort inches wide of the far post.

And Lowe was left livid in the 36th minute after Wilson clipped Troy Parrott on the edge of the box with the striker bearing down on goal, deemed only to be a yellow card offence by referee John Busby as the former Plymouth manager was left to berate fourth official Andy Davies on the touchline.

Waghorn went closest for the Sky Blues after the break, his deflected effort cannoning back off the crossbar for what would have been just his second Coventry goal.

Preston’s winner came through Riis just seven minutes after he was introduced from the bench.

Parrott saw his initial effort blocked, but the rebound was collected by the Dane who set himself before firing in.

Coventry went in search of an equaliser immediately and hit the crossbar for a second time just seconds after Riis’ strike, with Matty Godden’s header back across goal landing on the woodwork before being cleared to safety.

It was Riis who came closest to a second for Preston but the match-winner was denied by Wilson in a one-on-one.