City fans unimpressed as Preston press on

Leicester City suffered their second 2-1 defeat this season at the hands of Preston North End following last month’s Carling Cup exit at Deepdale. The first half was an even affair, with Matty Fryatt predictably posing the biggest threat for the home side while Preston’s dangerous counter-attacking exposed large gaps in City’s midfield. Richard Chaplow was the main man for the visitors, stumbling when attempting to turn in a cross from Billy Jones and soon storming forward only to be denied by a Paul Gallagher tackle. Just minutes before half time, Neil Mellor found the bottom corner of Chris Weale’s net to give North End the lead following some terrible attempted clearances from the City back line. Aleksander Tunchev sent a header just over the bar in first half stoppage time as Preston held on to lead at the break.

Following a bright start to the second half from City without creating any clear opportunities, it was the visitors who grabbed the important second goal. Mellor was allowed to run a long way with the ball and he laid it across for Chaplow who notched a deserved goal. City brought on Yann Kermorgant, Martyn Waghorn and Lloyd Dyer in the second half in search of a way back into the game but it was reliable full-back Bruno Berner who scored the consolation strike with minutes to go. There was a frantic late succession of set pieces from the home side but Preston came away with three points from a competitive encounter.