Hatters don’t mind the tap

JAYDEN STOCKLEY may only be a bit-part player for Preston – but he did Alex Neil’s men more than a bit of good yesterday.

The striker had only been on the pitch three minutes as a late substitute, but when he tapped home the winner after a goalmouth scramble it secured North End back-toback victories and pushed his side into third.

However, Luton must be kicking themselves for not taking their smash-andgrab chance to secure a rare away win – just a minute before Stockley’s goal.

Hatters sub Harry Cornick found himself racing goalwards with Ben Pearson tracking him right up the pitch in a bid to cut out the danger.

But Cornick outpaced Pearson and found himself in a one-on-one showdown with keeper Declan Rudd.

The Preston No.1 came out bravely and got an outstretched foot to stop Cornick’s attempt to slide

PRESTON the ball past him. What a missed opportunity, and Hatters’ boss Graeme

Jones admitted: “Maybe he should have lifted it over the keeper, but only Harry could gave got in that position in the first place.

“Credit for that, but credit to their keeper, too.”

Two penalty decisions had sparked off the game in the first half – and both were controversial.

Just five minutes in, Luton’s Matty Pearson was judged to have tugged back Patrick Bauer, and up stepped returning skipper Paul Gallagher to take the spot kick.

Keeper James Shea managed to parry, but the Scot hit home the rebound.

Luton, without an away win since September, could have folded. But just before halftime they hit back with their own penalty. Paul Huntington appeared to bump into Callum Mcmanaman, who went down in the box, with ref Gavin Ward pointing straight to the spot.

Leading striker James Collins gratefully took the chance to notch up his seventh of the season, breaking his barren spell of just one strike in 12 games before this Deepdale encounter.

Preston boss Neil said: “It was really soft, a poor decision. But we’re up in third spot and that’s the most important thing.”

LUTON