Preston 0 Derby County 0: Irvine left frustrated by Deepdale stalemate

09 December 2009 01:10
Manager Alan Irvine was left wondering how Preston failed to win after his struggling side hit the bar twice in a goalless draw with Derby.   [LNB]Nigel Clough's visitors hit the woodwork themselves via DJ Campbell, who also appeared to be brought down early on inside the Preston area but the referee denied the appeals for a penalty.   [LNB]For the hosts, Ross Wallace hit the bar in the first half and Callum Davidson did likewise in the second, while Sam Parkin and Neil Mellor were also guilty of some wasteful finishing.   [LNB] County sandwich: Preston's Billy Jones battles with Derby's Lee Hendrie (left) and Dean Moxey (right)[LNB] Derby 2 West Brom 2: Clough piles on misery by admitting Hulse is for saleBlackpool 1 Preston 1: Fast forward Clarke can't clinch points for HollowayDerby deny £3m approach from Wolves for in-demand striker HulsePreston 0 Newcastle 1: New hero Nolan's late finish saves Toon raiders The profligacy saw Preston's winless home run extended to six games, leaving Irvine far from happy.   [LNB]'Apparently we had 21 attempts at goal,' the Preston boss said. [LNB]'So it's a bit frustrating that we didn't get one or two in thenet.  With that many shots at goal, we should be scoring. We made thethe keeper work and we've hit the woodwork a couple of times, buthaving said that Derby did as well.   [LNB]Helpless spectators: Alan Irvine and Nigel Clough watch on at Deepdale[LNB][LNB]'My immediate reaction was that they could have had a penalty. I've not seen it again, but that was my first reaction.   [LNB]'We put them under pressure after that though and could have won the game.'[LNB]If either side looked likely to nick a winner, it was the hosts, butit was the visitors who arguably could have been awarded a penaltyafter just 10 minutes, as a weak backpass from Neill Collins sold AndyLonergan short.   [LNB]Campbell was alert to the danger and tapped the ball wide of theoncoming keeper only to seemingly be brought down but the refereeawarded a goal-kick rather than a penalty.  [LNB] Preston then took control as Chris Sedgwick and Parkin both went close before Wallace hit the bar on the half-hour mark.  [LNB] That was the last of the first-half action, but it was Preston wholooked most dangerous after the break as Mellor drew a low save fromStephen Bywater early on.   [LNB]The Rams responded by hitting the bar themselves through the livelyCampbell, before Stephen Pearson wastefully volleyed the rebound wide.  [LNB] Tough tackle: Lee Hendrie is challenged by Preston's Chris Sedgwick[LNB][LNB]With seven minutes to go, Davidson then hit the woodwork as he wasplayed in behind the Derby defence, but could not find a way pastBywater's near side.   [LNB]Campbell then went close again for the Rams - who still have notmanaged an away win all season - as his pace was too much for the tiredPreston backline, but he could not find a goal to match his efforts.  [LNB] Clough was left to bemoan the denial of the early penalty shout.  [LNB] 'We think it was a penalty,' he said. 'It feels like it's about our14th that we've had turned down. Having said that, we were very good inthe first half, but they came back strong in the second.  [LNB] 'The second half was end to end and neither side really deserved tolose. It was a good match, but it was just that one elusive goal thatdidn't come our way. [LNB] 'But we can take a lot of heart and confidence from our three games unbeaten.' [LNB] Derby 2 West Brom 2: Clough piles on misery by admitting Hulse is for saleBlackpool 1 Preston 1: Fast forward Clarke can't clinch points for HollowayDerby deny £3m approach from Wolves for in-demand striker HulsePreston 0 Newcastle 1: New hero Nolan's late finish saves Toon raiders[LNB] [LNB]  Explore more:People:Nigel Clough, Alan Irvine, Callum Davidson

Source: Daily_Mail