Preston North End vs Bolton Wanderers. Sky Bet Championship.
DeepdaleAttendance15,213.
Saturday 18 November 2017 07:40, UK
Bolton remain in the Championship relegation zone despite extending their unbeaten run to six matches with a hard-fought 0-0 draw at Preston.
In a typically competitive Lancashire derby at Deepdale, the hosts had the better chances with Tom Barkhuizen coming close on two occasions to breaking the deadlock in the first half.
Bolton's best opportunity fell to Karl Henry in the second period but the experienced midfielder's fierce shot flew a yard over the crossbar.
The stalemate means Bolton move within a point of Burton Albion in 21st place, while Preston move one spot up the table to 13th after ending a run of four straight defeats.
Alex Neil made four changes to the side that were beaten at Ipswich before the international break, but there were doubts over whether the match would go ahead after a temporary floodlight failure.
The game eventually kicked off five minutes later than scheduled, and it was Preston who began brightly with Paul Gallagher the commander-in-chief.
The former Leicester midfielder's first teasing cross was inches away from Barkhuizen, before the Scot found captain Paul Huntington at the far post, but his effort from an acute angle could not be turned in.
Barkhuizen then rose to meet another sublime delivery from a Gallagher free-kick but could only head wide as Preston continued to threat, before Ben Alnwick was fortunate not to concede after failing to gather Callum Robinson's low cross with Alan Browne hovering.
Bolton absorbed the early pressure and grew into the contest as Josh Vela fired over the bar from the edge of the box, and Phil Parkinson's side emerged more confident after the break as Adam Armstrong cut inside Calum Woods and tested the gloves of Chris Maxwell.
Henry then fizzed a shot over the bar before Preston fans felt they had valid claims for a penalty as substitute Daryl Horgan's cross hit the arm of Mark Little, but referee Simon Hooper was unmoved.
In a game that lacked star quality, neither side did enough to seal all three points with Burton's defeat at home to Sheffield United leaving Bolton the happier of the two clubs on the night.
Pearson gave his side energy and purpose throughout despite the dearth of quality, providing Preston with defensive cover and creativity in the final third during another fine individual display.
The 22-year-old ran himself into the ground and seized up with cramp in second-half stoppage time as he helped a side short on confidence arrest their slide despite failing to seal all three points.
Co-commentator Andy Hinchliffe said: "It's not been a classic but in someone like Ben Pearson, we have someone who epitomises the derby spirit, especially in the second half. He's shown real hunger and desire and he's done his best."
Alex Neil: "We were the better side in the first half, carved three really good opportunities and should've scored at least one of them.
"The positive thing is that we've got some players coming back from injuries and they never really looked like scoring. We carried a threat, and the only disappointing thing is that we didn't do so much in the second half. That's frustrating."
Phil Parkinson: "I thought we started slow. They were first to every ball and we got caught a little bit cold, but as the game wore on we got better and I thought we were the better of the two teams in the second half and had the better of the half chances to win the game, but never devalue a clean sheet.
"Today is another important point for us and it keeps our unbeaten run going."
Preston travel to face Bristol City on Tuesday night at Ashton Gate, while Bolton host Reading at the Macron Stadium on the same night.
