What we learned from Preston North End loss vs Stockport County as 'food for thought' delivered

Preston's squad could well be in for an intense final week of pre-season training after they wrapped up their warm-up fixtures with another defeat.

With the Championship opener away at Bristol City now less than a week away, PNE closed their summer programme with a 2-0 loss at fourth tier Stockport.

PNE boss Ryan Lowe will insist summer scorelines mean absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things – and of course he’s spot on – but results have been up and down.

There were encouraging glimpses once again in this last test, not least in the first half with some enterprising, flowing build-up play, but demands will rocket during this week’s vital final preparations.

He’s had a good look at his squad since they returned to training on June 26, and now it’s all eyes on Ashton Gate when all the meaningful questions will be asked.

In this final fixture Lowe gave all of his nine outfield substitutes a run-out, so there will be at least be plenty of food for thought for the PNE gaffer.

Ahead of the final warm-up game there were few surprises once the team-sheets were handed out.

Boss Lowe had shaken things up following the midweek goalless stalemate at Fleetwood, and he’d gone strong again, with a starting XI very similar to the one that impressed so much against Aberdeen seven days earlier.

Maybe this was strong hint as to Lowe’s preference for the big Ashton Gate Championship opener next weekend, with new star and birthday boy Mads Frokjaer set to pull the strings in the heart of the midfield again alongside skipper Alan Browne.

Lowe’s opposite number Dave Challinor also went strong as Stockport – who agonisingly lost on penalties to Carlisle in May’s League Two play-off final – were in action again less than 24 hours after a 1-0 home defeat by Blackburn the previous evening.

It proved to be a rather disappointing opening 45 minutes from PNE as it turned out.

They went into the break behind, thanks to Will Collar firing into the roof of the net after 17 minutes.

That came just seconds after Freddie Woodman had brilliantly saved a spot-kick from Collar, awarded after Bamdo Diaby had bundled into the County midfielder.

The hosts created other opportunities, but so did PNE.

Will Keane forced Ben Hinchliffe into a top-drawer save early on, while Ben Woodburn clinically finished off a flowing attacking move, only to be thwarted by an assistant referee’s flag.

Lowe resisted making any changes until the start of the second period, when Patrick Bauer and recent capture Duane Holmes were brought on.

Soon after the restart 17-year-old Kian Best – who impressed hugely for 80 minutes after penning his first pro deal during the week – twice went close with identical free-kick attempts, but there was little else for the travelling fans to cheer between those efforts and Stockport doubling their lead with a quarter of an hour left.

Ryan Rydel curled home a super free-kick, giving Woodman no chance.

The match rather petered out after that, with PNE seemingly content to prevent any further damage with the clock now ticking ominously ahead of that mouth-watering trip to Bristol next Saturday.

Stockport County 2 [Collar 17, Rydel 75]

Preston North End 0

On behalf of the Lancaster & Crowther Sports Agency