Cornick feels Hatters owe Preston revenge after Deepdale defeat

Hatters attacker Harry Cornick believes he and his Town team-mates owe Preston North End some revenge this afternoon for the manner in which they went down 2-1 at Deepdale earlier in the season.

Back in December, after Paul Gallagher and James Collins had exchanged first half goals to make the scores 1-1 going into the final 10 minutes, Cornick on for Callum McManaman, nicked the ball off Ben Pearson to race through unchallenged and potentially secure victory for Luton.

Faced with just keeper Declan Rudd to beat, he could only succeed in shooting against the legs of the Lilywhites stopper as the glorious chance went begging.

A few moments later and with play transferred up the other end, Luton couldn't clear their lines and ex-Hatter Jayden Stockley was the beneficiary, tucking past James Shea from close range to make it 2-1 and keep the points in Lancashire.

Speaking to Sky Sports News ahead of the clash at Kenilworth Road, Cornick said: “I don't have fond memories there.

“I came in on the 70th minute at 1-1 and I had a one-on-one chance and I missed it.

"They went down the other end and scored, so not great memories for me that game, we owe them one really."

The manner in which Town acquitted themselves on the day gives Cornick confidence they can get a result when the two teams meet today though, despite both needing the points for different reasons, Luton to stay up and the visitors to cement a top six place.

He continued: "Every different Championship club gives you a different test though, two clubs don't really play alike, they're so different in this league.

“Every game changes, you can't have the same tactics for every game as playing against Preston is totally different from playing against Brentford, playing against Leeds.

“We know what Preston's strengths are, we know how they play, I think we managed them really well away from home, we nullified their threats at times and countered them really well.

“We know what it's going to take to beat Preston, they're a good team, they pushing for the play-offs.

"They want to try and get some points on the board to make a push to make the play-offs, we need the points to stay in the league, so it's going to be a fascinating game.

"We've got nine games and if we win nine, we stay in the league, it's as simple as that.

"Obviously winning nine games is going to be tough, so the matches with teams around us are going to be important games and we've got Barnsley at home, Huddersfield away, Hull away, who are in the same boat as us."

With just nine fixtures remaining this term, Luton face an almighty battle to stay up, six points below the dotted line and with an inferior goal difference.

They do have five matches at Kenilworth Road, which was originally seen as a huge bonus with a vociferous Kenilworth Road crowd behind them.

However, Town will take to their home surroundings without any fans roaring them on, due to supporters not allowed to attend matches for the foreseeable future due to social distancing rules in place because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Cornick knows it will be an odd feeling, saying: "Kenilworth Road is sort of our fortress, the fans are unbelievable, always packed out, they always sing their hearts out, that was always an advantage for us.

"We need to try and keep Kenilworth Road the same as it is, but it's going to strange without any fans there, the away games are going to be different as there's no fans there too.

“What the atmosphere is going to be like is going to be completely different to what it would have been like.

"I was so excited to go to Elland Road and play in front of the Leeds fans and it was going to be a great experience for me as a player.

"It's going to not so great now, but that could work in our favour going there, so we'll wait and see.”

Town have tried to replicate it by playing a practice match against Brentford this week, as they triumphed 4-2, and on the experience, Cornick added: "It just felt so strange with no-one there, every pass you heard the thud of the ball off the foot, it felt weird.

"You got a corner, usually you get corner and all the fans are off their feet clapping, geeing you up for the corner, so it's going to be strange, something I’ve never experienced.

"The closest thing would be U23 development games which I used to play when I was at Bournemouth, so that’s going to give me an advantage and that's how I’m looking at it as I've played in lot of games with no fans there.

"It's just a competitive game between two teams with no fans, it's going to be different, it's going to be challenging, but we'll have to wait and see as I've never played in anything really like it.”