Preston 2-1 Plymouth: Duane Holmes sets hosts en route to deserved victory to restore Championship lead

Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Preston and Plymouth at Deepdale as Duane Holmes and Liam Miller send hosts back top of league with first-half goals.

Saturday 16 September 2023 18:36, UK

Preston returned to the top of the Championship table thanks to hard-earned 2-1 victory over Plymouth at Deepdale.

In-form North End deservedly recorded a fifth straight league win as deadline-day signings Liam Millar and Milutin Osmajic made notable introductions.

Millar was heavily involved in Preston's first-minute opener scored by Duane Holmes before netted the second himself after being set up by Osmajic.

Ryan Hardie pulled one back for Plymouth, but it could not stop Preston moving back above Leicester to the top of the table.

Before kick-off there was a warm touchline embrace between former colleagues Ryan Lowe and Steven Schumacher as they geared up for a first clash as rival managers.

Schumacher had been Lowe's assistant at Plymouth before the now Preston boss left for Deepdale almost two years ago.

The action started in explosive fashion as North End struck after only 38 seconds.

Millar darted down the left and Argyle goalkeeper Conor Hazard could not hold his cross, leaving Holmes to charge in and head home the loose ball.

Holmes tested Hazard again minutes later with a low drive from the edge of the box.

The visitors threatened after 10 minutes when Finn Azaz played in Bali Mumba down the left and his strike from a tight angle was superbly palmed round a post by Freddie Woodman.

However, the hosts doubled their lead in the 25th minute.

The two new boys combined brilliantly as Montenegro international Osmajic expertly played in Millar and he side-stepped a defender before coolly slotting past Hazard.

Argyle went on to boss the remainder of the first period, with Kaine Kesler-Hayden missing their best chance to halve the deficit.

He charged clear of the Preston defence before firing straight at the alert Woodman.

Argyle continued to threaten after the restart.

Azaz turned this way and that before curling just the wrong side of a post from 18 yards.

Barely a minute later Morgan Whittaker saw an effort deflected just off target as the visitors kept pressing.

They finally got their reward just past the hour mark when Luke Cundle played in Hardie and the Plymouth striker beat Woodman confidently.

Preston, though, should have restored their two-goal cushion minutes later.

Osmajic found himself unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box, but his header was superbly beaten away by Hazard.

The momentum had now swung back in North End's favour and Brad Potts side-footed against a post late on.

The managers

Preston's Ryan Lowe:

"The lads put everything on the line to make sure they came away with the three points.

"In the first half we were well worthy of the two goals. We came out with a really fast start and the second half was always going to be tough.

"Fair play to Plymouth, they changed a few things round and brought a lot of subs on and had a good go.

"They got one back, but our lads put their bodies on the line and caught everything in passes and tackles.

"It was good for me and the coaches because we were thinking all the time, and I know Shuey will have been, so it was a great battle.

"We knew they were going to have large parts of the ball, we didn't do as well as we would have liked in the second half.

"It could have been 4-4 or 5-5 there were that many chances, we both did the right thing and tried to win a game of football."

Plymouth's Steven Schumacher:

"I am disappointed to lose the game. I didn't feel that we deserved to lose, but we've come away from home again and played really well and caused the top-of-the-table team loads of problems.

"I am also proud and pleased with the players' performance because we were brave.

"Even after going 1-0 down we kept playing and we were more than game for them.

"I don't know if Preston would have had any other games this season where the opposition created so many chances, so credit to Ryan and his staff in getting them organised and getting people in the way.

"They block shots, they block crosses and they put their bodies on the line and their goalkeeper is a top goalie.

"If we believe that we can continue to play in this way and creating opportunities, then our first win away from home won't be far away."