LOWE LEFT TO RUE LACK OF CUTTING EDGE
RYAN Lowe insisted his Preston side should have pocketed three points rather than one as their play-off hopes failed to gain much traction in south Wales.
A 15th draw of the season left Preston 13th in the table, still six points behind sixthplaced Luton having played two games more.
Daniel Johnson came closest to winning it for the visitors, but he was denied by Cardiff goalkeeper Alex Smithies 16 minutes from time.
“It’s a good point, but I think we were well worthy of three,” said Lowe. “We had some good opportunities.
“I’m disappointed we didn’t have that that little bit of quality in the final third.
“You look at the points we could have had, and we’d be in a different position. It’s a nightmare, when you look at it like that. You think to yourself that it could be better.
“We are only six points off and the league can throw up anything. There’s no pressure on my lads. I just want to have a good end to the season and if the points take us closer then, who knows.”
Neither side managed a shot until the 30th minute when Preston’s Brad Potts fired straight at Cardiff Smithies.
The hosts didn’t trouble Smithies’ opposite number Daniel Iversen at all before the break, with only two efforts of any note and both in the final minute of the half.
The first, from Jordan Hugill, was blocked by Bambo Diaby and the second, from Alfie Doughty, was high over Iversen’s bar.
Cardiff’s Cody Drameh did his best to inject some drama into the contest early on with a lunging tackle on Andrew Hughes, but referee James Linnington kept his cards in his pocket.
Linnington also showed little interest in Preston’s appeals for a penalty after 25 minutes, despite Mark McGuinness appearing to drag down Emil Riis in the box.
The second period began much as the first had ended with neither side threatening breakthrough, aside from a strong run into the box from Cameron Archer, who saw his shot deflected behind.
Alan Browne then dragged a shot wide after being teed up by Riis, before firing a freekick into the Bluebirds wall.
The closest either side came to scoring was a big chance for the Johnson in the 74th minute. But, after pouncing on a poor defensive header from Doughty, he was denied at close range by Smithies. There was another chance for Browne, but he lost his footing as he tried to turn in the rebound after Smithies had parried Archer’s shot.
Sub Uche Ikpeazu forced Iversen into two flying saves and Hugill had the ball in the net in stoppage time only for Ikpeazu to be penalised for a push in the build-up. Bluea birds boss Steve Morison admitted there was not too much to get excited by.
“It was a 0-0 game,” he said. “It had 0-0 written all over it from the first five minutes of the game. You’re just hoping you have a moment and win it. We nearly had that, but it wasn’t to be.
“The positive is we kept a clean sheet and it’s another point in the right direction.”