Preston 0 Sheffield United 0: Defiant streak is continued as Blades checked

ALL good things must come to an end? Not if you are the Sheffield United defence, they do not. Not yet, at least.
Sheffield United's Stefan Scougall against Preston.Sheffield United's Stefan Scougall against Preston.
Sheffield United's Stefan Scougall against Preston.

The Blades were unable last night to maintain a winning run that, before the trip to Preston North End, stood at 10 games.

But in keeping out Simon Grayson’s play-off chasing side, United set a new club record for consecutive clean sheets in the league.

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Not since Byron Moore netted in stoppage time for Crewe on February 1 has Mark Howard been beaten in League One combat, a colossal 12 playing hours ago. It is an incredible record stretching back 45 days and eight matches.

It is also a record that has surely never come closer to being smashed than last night at Deepdale.

In a contest that fourth-placed Preston dominated throughout, the home side did everything but score.

Josh Brownhill went the closest to breaking the deadlock with a shot that crashed against a post, and Joel Garner twice missed when it seemed easier to score.

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Bailey Wright also had a shot that was kept out by Michael Doyle with the aid of his arm.

On St Patrick’s Day, it was perhaps not a surprise that the Irishman should enjoy a bit of good fortune.

United probably deserved that slice of luck, too, with Nigel Clough’s men putting in an almighty shift against a team now unbeaten in nine and who seem nailed on for a play-off place.

No one personified this gutsy approach better than defensive pairing Neill Collins and Harry Maguire. The pair were not given a moment’s rest by a forward line that boasts both pace and physical power.

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But both Collins and Maguire stood up marvellously to everything North End could throw at them as United smashed a club record set in 1971 and equalled last week against Carlisle United.

Considering United had not played for five days since then – a rare luxury for a team that has already had five midweek assignments since the start of February – Clough’s men looked unusually leggy in the opening exchanges.

Just 12 seconds had elapsed when Howard was called into action to deny Craig Davies from close range.

It set the tone for much of what followed, with Paul Gallagher curling a free-kick just over and Joel Garner heading wide.

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The second of those misses was a real let-off for United, whose problems had started when Collins had been dispossessed by Davies on the edge of the area.

He then rolled a pass back to Chris Humphrey, who sent over a cross that deserved a lot better than being headed wide by the unmarked Garner.

As Preston continued to dominate in central midfield, the chances kept coming for the home side and it took a brave block from Bob Harris to keep out a pile-driver from Davies.

Doyle showed a mixture of guts and cunning to get in the way of a fierce effort from Wright, with Preston appealing furiously for a penalty.

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Gallagher also went close from the rebound before United finally started to ask questions of North End’s defence as the first half drew to a close.

Conor Coady did get the ball in the net only for his ‘goal’ to be ruled out for offside.

However, there was no doubting which of the two teams was the most relieved to return to the dressing room at the interval on level terms with Howard’s final act being to save Brownhill’s effort.

Preston continued to dominate after the restart, with Brownhill striking a post with a fierce effort that had Howard beaten.

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Garner then volleyed inches wide after being picked out by a searching right-wing cross from Humphrey before Davies snatched at a shot from 20 yards and the ball flew well wide of the target.

Howard showed safe hands to deny substitute Stuart Beavon before United fashioned their best opening of the night.

Ben Davies was the creator with a left -wing cross that Chris Porter met sweetly only for the ball to fly narrowly over Declan Rudd’s crossbar.

With that 87th-minute miss went any hopes of an 11th straight win for United.

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Clough’s battlers did, though, have the satisfaction of knowing at the final whistle that an eighth straight clean sheet in the league was theirs.

Preston North End: Rudd; Wiseman, Clarke, Wright, Buchanan; Humphrey (Holmes 77), Kilkenny, Brownhill (K Davies 85), Gallagher; C Davies (Beavon 77), Garner. Unused substitutes: Stuckmann, Keane, K Davies, Welsh, King.

Sheffield United: Howard; Freeman, Maguire, Collins, Harris (Hill 41, Davies 46); Flynn, Coady, Doyle, Murphy; Scougall; Baxter (Porter 74). Unused substitutes: Miller, McGinn, Paynter, Long.

Referee: G Eltringham (County Durham).