Preston North End have been playing for over 125 years but it has taken Graham Westley just twelve months to reach new lows as The Whites have now gone 10 home games without a win, a club record, after drawing at home to Coventry at the weekend. It is now four months since Preston managed a league win at home.
Unsurprisingly Westley completely changed his team around after the last home disaster to Walsall. Stuckmann is now the firm number one. Davies came in for his debut as expected. The only surprise for the youth player was that the centre back was played out of position at left back. Connolly also made his debut at right back.
Robertson partnered new captain Bailey Wright. At the start Byrom paired with King in the centre of midfield whilst Holmes started out left and Wroe, a central midfielder playing on the right. Monakana, the right winger started up front alongside Cummins.
There was no room for new signing Garner and Beavon who were left on the bench. Buchanan also must consider what he has to do to get in the side ahead of a youth player who was playing out of position.
Coventry started like a side aiming for the top six and Davies showed his inexperience as the visitors raided down the right on several occasions before he came more comfortable the game. The away side should have been at least a couple of goals up before the thirty minute mark. Stuckmann made several impressive saves with two coming from close range when Coventry should have scored.
Preston were not completely out of the game with King having a header cleared off the line. It was somewhat against the run of play when Preston scored. A cross came in with Cummins sticking a leg out to push the ball home.
The away side soon got back in the game when Leon Clarke scored from close range to level things up and the visitors must have been concerned as to how they were only level in this match.
In the second period Coventry took the lead when a decent cross was put into the danger zone. There was only one attacker who had pulled back and several North End defenders. Unfortunately, Robertson stuck out a leg with no striker in sight and the ball deflected past Stuckmann.
In fairness Preston did not give up and a cross found Nicky Wroe in space inside the box who fired home for the equaliser. The game then seemed to calm a little with neither side creating enough to take all three points.
The draw means Preston have now gone ten home league games without a victory since September when they beat Yeovil at Deepdale. This is Preston's worst winless sequence at home in their entire club history. An unwanted record for Westley and it could have been a lot worse if Coventry had converted their early chances.
North End now travel to Crawley on Tuesday where they will face a difficult encounter. Crawley beat Preston convincingly at Deepdale earlier this season and will be looking to try to get back into the play off places. Preston will be hoping that they slip nowhere nearer the relegation zone as they sit just nine points off.