Preston North End drew 1-1 with Birmingham City on Saturday afternoon, failing to kill off the game when leading at Deepdale.
North End took a deserved first-half lead as Patrick Bauer diverted Alan Browne’s shot into the net.
Birmingham levelled it up late on, with Scott Hogan heading past Daniel Iversen to secure a point for the Blues.
This will feel like a missed opportunity for Preston. North End had 16 shots – just as Birmingham did – but only got five on target.
Preston out-passed Birmingham but it couldn’t for little at the end with North End unable to get that killer second goal.
This has been a recurring theme for some time with North End; just being unable to kill off games when they’re there to be won.
Ryan Lowe would have loved a third win from three in Championship games with Preston, but this game will show what still needs to be done.
Preston still lack that clinical edge in attack.
Emil Riis has gone off the boil a little since Frankie McAvoy’s exit, and hasn’t scored since that win over Middlesbrough in November.
Seani Maguire and Scott Sinclair have combined for just one Championship goal this season and Ched Evans, for all his hard work, isn’t a natural goalscorer.
Put all that together and it’s sometimes hard to see where the goals are coming from in this Preston side.
That’s something Lowe will be hoping to sort out, whether through coaching, tactics or in the transfer market.
Lowe’s approach is already a change of direction from McAvoy, but the goals aren’t exactly flowing just yet.
Three of the five league goals under Lowe have come from set pieces, whilst the cup goal at Cardiff City last weekend was from the penalty spot.
It’s early days in Lowe’s style and we should hopefully see that expansive attacking style that the new manager wants in the future.
But without finding that ruthless streak in front of goal, Preston will always find there is a ceiling to their aspirations.