Preston v West Brom: Big Match Analysis
High-flying promotion rivals Preston and West Brom showed little to suggest they are ready for life in the Barclays Premier League after playing out a stalemate at Deepdale today.
Roberto Di Matteo - appointed as Baggies manager in the summer after Preston boss Alan Irvine turned down the post - had seen his side lose their previous two matches in miserable fashion.
A 1-0 home defeat against Crystal Palace was followed by a 3-1 horror show at Barnsley in midweek, but his men at least ended their losing streak and this result keeps them two points above Preston.
Yet there were precious few positives to draw from a drab encounter which brutally illustrated the gulf between the Coca-Cola Championship and the top flight.
Too much of what both sides did lacked genuine quality and a repeat of Albion's thumping 5-0 win at Middlesbrough last month never looked likely.
The visitors were generally more accomplished in possession, with Graham Dorrans comfortably the game's most dangerous player, but Roman Bednar rarely threatened in his role as a lone striker.
