Preston held table-topping Sunderland to a 0-0 draw in the Sky Bet Championship.
North End boss Paul Heckingbottom would have probably taken a point before kick-off but his team warranted more after missing a series of good opportunities.
Regis Le Bris had surprisingly rested both Patrick Roberts and Romaine Mundle as part of his plan to rotate and it felt like his team never really got going.
Within two minutes, Sam Greenwood looked destined to score from point-blank range after brilliant play by Jordan Storey but he scuffed his shot across the goal towards Kaine Kesler-Hayden who also miscued his finish when it looked easier to score.
Just minutes later, Chris Mepham nearly found himself in hot water as he tripped Greenwood on the edge of the box as he looked set to run through on goal but the Sunderland defender got the better of the narrow margins with a yellow card.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Jobe Bellingham, who is serving a three-game ban after being sent off at QPR, was spotted with the away fans for Sunderland’s Sky Bet Championship clash at Preston
The Black Cats could have been a goal behind and a man down within the opening 10 minutes but they fired a warning shortly after as Wilson Isidor rippled the side netting from the edge of the box following a fantastic cross-field pass by Chris Rigg.
However, despite only winning one league game in five, it was Preston who looked the far likelier team.
On 17 minutes, an unmarked Mads Frokjaer headed Greenwood’s cross wide from a delightful position and, just three minutes later, Brad Potts should have also done better at the back post with Liam Lindsay’s floated delivery.
On the half-hour mark, a very advanced Storey had no issues hitting the target for the home team on the half-hour but his ferocious shot from inside the box was superbly blocked by a brave Luke O’Nien.
The Black Cats were very much second-best but almost went ahead five minutes later as Aaron Connolly called Freddie Woodman into action with a brilliant reflex stop after latching on to Trai Hume’s enticing cross.
North End continued to control the opening half and Riis forced Simon Moore into an excellent save with a curling 20-yard strike.
Despite Sunderland making an improved start to the second half, it took Le Bris just 62 minutes before turning to Roberts and Mundle from the bench.
It was quite a tepid second period but the pairing of Mundle and Roberts linked up in added time with the latter striking a fierce volley, forcing Woodman into a vital low stop.
The managers
Preston’s Paul Heckingbottom:
“We’ve been performing really well but things are going against us at the minute. We had three really good chances in the first half that could have made the game really comfortable and obviously the referee’s decisions could make the game a little bit more comfortable for us.
“Whilst we’re not getting the help from the officials, having five shocking decisions in the last eight games, it does make it harder, but we could have still done enough ourselves in this game and in previous games to get a lot more points.
“We’ve got an identity and we’ve got a clear style and people are having to change and are having to be really disciplined and how we perform in order to try and get the better of us.
“I take that as a compliment but what comes with that is that we’re never going to play a team who’s underprepared.”
Sunderland’s Regis Le Bris:
“We are not happy because this was not the performance that we wanted to execute today but, in the end, it is a point.
“It’s a long league with many games in the week. We have to manage the team and the squad and give opportunities to other players because we’ll need them for sure.
“We need to also manage the others as they can get tired and we need them in the best shape.
“We know that (Roberts is) a big strength that we miss for sure but it was expected that the last 30 minutes were for him and I think we changed the dynamic of the game in that moment.”
