Preston North End 2 Middlesbrough 2

Oct 25 2009 Sunday Sun

BORO leaked a last-gasp leveller to be left disappointed by a 2-2 draw against a Preston side they had bested for well over an hour.

Boro twice deservedly led and created a string of golden chances to seal the game but once again showed that stoppage time is the danger zone.

As at Coventry, Boro let a commanding led slip.

Had either of those games ended in victory, Boro would now be on top of the table.

What the watching Garry Pendry would have made of it could well determine how Boro approach the closing moments in weeks to come.

Gordon Strachan’s right-hand man was watching from the stands prior to the fiery Scot’s expected arrival tomorrow.

Colin Cooper was in charge in the dug-out but the presence of Strachan’s proxy was perhaps more important.

Cooper had made just one change from the team that had beat Derby 2-0 in Gareth Southgate’s final fateful game in midweek, Marvin Emnes coming in for injured Jeremie Aliadiere.

Preston showed first in the fourth minute as Chaplow sent Neil Mellor surging down the right towards the box, but Deepdale old boy Sean St Ledger – cheered before the game by the home fans – chased him all the way to dispossess him as he cut into the box.

But after that Boro took control and dominated territory and possession.

Boro’s first chance came a minutes later as Adam Johnson broke down the left and fed a neat ball into the box for Leroy Lita, but his shot at the near post was charged down.

The resulting corner caused a furious scramble before being half-cleared then when Joe Bennett played the ball back in there was another spell of chaos in which David Wheater had a powerful low piledriver blocked.

Then on seven minutes Boro threatened again as Emnes got down the right and chipped in for Lita on the penalty spot, but as he tried to bring the ball down Chilvers was in quickly to wrap himself around the striker and block any shot.

Boro almost broke through on 13 minutes as Johnson picked out Emnes in the box, but as the ball bobbled around between him and his marker he could not profit and it was hooked clear.

Then Didier Digard sent a long-range effort screaming high over.