Cardiff City 0-0 Preston North End: Dominant Bluebirds left frustrated in final third once more

Cardiff City's frustrations in front of goal continued as they were held to a goalless draw at home to Preston North End at a sunny Cardiff City Stadium.

Despite dominating for much of the game, Cardiff couldn't break down a resolute Preston defence, with Joe Ralls coming closest after curling a drive off the post shortly after half-time.

Cedric Kipre hit the woodwork himself late on, albeit at the wrong end as Preston very nearly snatched an ill-deserved win, while debutant Niels Nkounkou nearly marked his arrival in the Welsh capital with a sensational last-gasp winner.

Nkounkou's arrival on a season-long loan was confirmed earlier in the morning, with the left-back taking his place among the substitutes as Steve Morison opted to hand Callum O'Dowda a start on the left-side of the back four due to the concussion suffered by youngster Joel Bagan in the 2-0 defeat to Bristol City on Sunday.

Rubin Colwill, one of the few positives from that day, was handed his first start of the season on the back of a week where Morison once again insisted he would not be pressured into throwing the talented youngster into the spotlight.

Colwill was one of three changes, with captain Joe Ralls and Jaden Philogene also returning to the starting line-up, and was admittedly often at the heart of all that was good about Cardiff during an otherwise frustrating afternoon which will bring City's search for a new striker into sharper focus.

Preston's last two visits to the capital resulted in two painfully dull clashes low on quality. Indeed, Morison himself admitted the 0-0 draw here back in March was "boring". But he would have been pretty pleased with how his side started this contest.

Only three members of that side started on this occasion,