Jones won’t fear chop
BLACKBURN
PRESTON
PRESTON’S Josh Harrop hit an absolute belter to rub out Blackburn’s shell-shock early goal by in-form Adam Armstrong.
That strike itself was impressive as Armstrong bamboozled North End’s defence to silence their massive 6,000 following with a close-range effort.
But when Harrop rifled home an unstoppable first-time rightfooter just 14 minutes later, it was game-on in this fiercelyfought Lancashire showdown in front of Ewood Park’s biggest crowd of the season.
Both sides gave no quarter
GRAEME JONES insists he is not worried about the sack at Luton.
Hatters fans booed off their manager and gave heated words to the directors’ box after their winless run was extended to eight games.
They are bottom of the league with just one point in their last seven matches and may as well be renamed Luton Down if that run continues for much longer. Jones and one victim of this fierce encounter was Rover’s Corry Evans, who was stretchered off with an oxygen mask after being hit in the face by Tom Clarke’s boot, as Evans stooped in a bid to head the ball.
Blackburn boss
Tony Mowbray (right) revealed: “Evans has a broken nose and a suspected broken cheekbone.
“He needed an oxygen mask and has been sent to hospital, along with his family. His absence so early definitely hurt us, but he’ll be back.”
Mowbray added: “It was an attritional game all right, but I respect the nature of Preston. said: “I don’t think about losing my job. I think about working harder and finding solutions.
‘I don’t blame the supporters. They are allowed to vent their frustration. I’m not doing a good job and neither are the players.
“What’s really difficult is when you dedicate your whole life to the job, spend 12 hours a day and sleep with it on your mind, and then get rewarded with nothing.”
Luton fell behind
LUTON
They have a camaraderie and a collective spirit like us, and you know you’re in a game when you play them.”
North End boss Alex Neil admitted: “I was worried when we conceded early on. We made a mistake, then didn’t repair it, and Armstrong was in with his goal. We had to rally, and fortunately Josh’s strike was a great one. “After that, we were more aggressive and it was a 50-50 duel, albeit a scrappy game.”
Armstrong’s early strike came after North End defender Tom Clarke gave away the ball. To make matters worse, the after four minutes when keeper Simon Sluga failed to hold Lukas Jutkiewicz’s header from Jeremie Bela’s cross.
They levelled on 62 minutes when Harlee Dean fouled Matty Pearson and James Collins scored from the spot.
But seven minutes later Jacques Maghoma stormed past the Luton defence to cross for Gary Gardner to slot in.
The Blues had Dean sent off for a second booking late on, but Luton never really looked like levelling –
BIRMINGHAM
Preston skipper then failed to cut out the danger, leaving Armstrong free to score.
But Preston struck back as Harrop showed his quality. The 24-year-old former Manchester United youngster made it look so easy as he scored his second goal in two appearances, and his season’s seventh. although Jutkiewicz headed off the line to deny Pearson.
This was a first league win in seven for Birmingham and manager Pep Clotet admitted: “We need to put a healthy safety net between us and the bottom.”