Emil Riis ensured Preston’s unbeaten home record under Paul Heckingbottom continued as the Lilywhites beat Coventry 1-0 in the Sky Bet Championship.
The 26-year-old headed home a 72nd-minute winner after missing a string of good opportunities in the first half.
It was a strong performance that highlighted the progress that Preston have made since Heckingbottom replaced Ryan Lowe in August, however, there was less room for optimism in the other dugout with just two wins in 10 league matches now for Mark Robins’ men.
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Emil Riis heads Preston in front at home to Coventry.
Preston could have taken an early lead in the eighth minute when Riis latched onto Stefan Thordarson’s cute pass in behind but Oliver Dovin made a superb instinctive save with his foot.
Within 15 minutes, Ellis Simms should have headed Coventry in front but he misjudged Jack Rudoni’s delivery and Riis passed up a similar opportunity with the goal gaping, nodding Ryan Ledson’s delicious cross agonisingly wide.
Fresh from his goal-scoring exploits for the Republic of Ireland, Robbie Brady had his first goal of the season for Preston in sight but he lashed a 25th-minute strike past the post after being played into the box by Mads Frokjaer.
On 34 minutes, Riis forced Dovin into another good save with a fierce shot in the box after latching onto Thordarson’s headed knock-down at the end of some brilliant team play that saw Heckingbottom’s men patiently play their way from back to front.
Riis could have had a hat-trick at this point and a 39th-minute booking for simulation when he could have engineered another presentable opportunity for himself was reflective of a man with only one goal in nine Championship matches this season.
It had arguably been Preston’s best opening half under Heckingbottom but all that promise was nearly quashed in the opening seconds of the second half but Josh Eccles snatched at a loose ball on the edge of the box as North End’s defence struggled to deal with a long punt from Luis Binks.
Alarm bells were ringing again in the 54th minute as the impressive Brady had a lapse in concentration with his clearance ricocheting off Milan van Ewijk and inadvertently setting Norman Bassette in on goal but the Belgian lacked conviction, clipping an effort well wide.
But Preston did get their breakthrough as Brady whipped an excellent ball back into the box after substitute Sam Greenwood’s corner was only half cleared and Riis headed in from a yard out.
The Sky Blues thought they had an equaliser when Haji Wright thumped the ball home in the latter stages as Preston’s defence made a mess of clearing their lines but the substitute was adjudged to have used his arm before striking the ball.
The managers
Preston’s Paul Heckingbottom:
“We’re delighted, first and foremost, to get the three points. In the first half we were the better team. Their moments came in transition, we know what a threat they are.
“They were set up to do that as well and we took it as a compliment that they changed shape to nullify our space.
“They changed shape and put more and more attacking players on and loaded the ball in our box and we had to stay strong, which we did.”
He also added praise for match-winner Riis, who had been struggling to convert opportunities earlier in the game. Prior to his goal against Coventry, the Dane had only scored one in nine league matches this season.
“One thing I’ve been banging onto him about is being between the goal posts. In the first half, he’s in the middle of the goals. The header in the second half, he’s in [the middle as well],” Heckingbottom added.
“That’s the area of the pitch we want him in. There’s going to be times where he has to work wide for us, and you can see that in the second half when he ran the left channel trying to cut in, but he’s going to get his chances in the middle of the goal.”
Coventry’s Mark Robins:
“I’m going to see the referee in a minute. [Paul Heckingbottom] is with the referee at the moment so once he’s finished I’m going to go in and see the referee.
“I want to know why that goal was disallowed. There was talk that it was disallowed for being a handball but there was no handball I’m being told.
“When we’re through [in transitions] and the referee blows his whistle and brings us back, you [can’t build] momentum that way.
“The fouls that you have to contend with against these because they disrupt the play. That adds to it.
“I’m disappointed. Really disappointed. I’m disappointed for the players because they’ve given everything. They’ve played some decent football and we’ve been in some decent positions.”
