Preston’s frustrating start to the season continued as they failed to score for the second successive game as Ryan Lowe’s side were held to a drab 0-0 draw by Hull at Deepdale.
The Lilywhites were unable to find a goal away at local rivals Wigan on the opening weekend and Lowe’s side again struggled to produce a killer touch on their first home outing of the campaign.
A battling draw preserves Hull’s unbeaten start to the Sky Bet Championship season with Shota Arveladze enjoying a strong opening to his first full campaign in English football.
Tottenham loanee Troy Parrott was the bright spark for Preston in a stop-start opening in Lancashire, as the Republic of Ireland international’s cushioned pass was almost steered home by strike partner Emil Riis Jakobsen, before his dangerous whipped cross was superbly cleared away by the Hull back line.
Despite struggling to make any real inroads in the opening half hour, the visitors did begin to edge themselves into the contest before the break, with Jacob Greaves heading Benjamin Tetteh’s cross narrowly wide, and full-back Lewie Coyle striding forward to fire a long-range effort over the bar.
However, the closest opportunity for a first-half breakthrough came through former Burnley star Robbie Brady, as his clever chip inside the area dropped just over Matt Ingram’s bar.
That positivity allowed the hosts to take up the initiative once again after the restart, with Parrott forcing an instant reflex stop from Ingram on 48 minutes, before the Tigers stopper produced a brilliant diving save to deny the Irishman from the edge of the box just after.
Driven on by Parrott’s inventiveness, and Daniel Johnson’s energy in midfield, Preston continued to carry all of the attacking threat as the second half wore on, with Jakobsen stooping to head Brad Potts’ cross wide of the upright.
The home side’s dominance continued on from there as they carved out more chances, but again Ingram was on hand to rescue Hull with a brave sprawling block to thwart Alan Browne, before Jakobsen blazed another poor effort way off target.
Preston stayed on the front foot in the closing stages, as Hull dug in deep for a draw, with Parrott again at the heart of it for the home side, but his dink over Ingram was desperately hacked away off the line by the retreating Greaves on 85 minutes.
