Preston North End 2 Middlesbrough 2

Oct 25 2009 Sunday Sun

On 16 minutes Boro won a free-kick 32 yards out and Gary O’Neil stepped up to send a sizzling effort that looked to be flying into the top left corner, but keeper Lonergan did well to go full length and claw it out with one hand.

And then another O’Neil free-kick caused a scrum in the box six yards out, but the linesman flagged for an offence before Emnes could turn onto it.

Boro went close again on the half-hour as Lita flicked on a Hoyte ball down the right and it sailed towards Emnes eight yards out, but as he took up position to make contact the keeper came out to tip it away.

On 35 minutes Boro went close as tenacious Bennett won the ball superbly out on the left to spark a move that sent Lita storming into the box, but his shot screamed over the bar.

Preston had their moments. In a good spell of possession midway through the half they got the ball into the box several times, and Boro looked scrappy as they scrambled the ball clear.

They almost caught Boro napping on 37 minutes when Wallace crossed in from the right and Mellor flicked on for Parkin at the far post, but Digard tidied up.

And on 40 minutes they almost broke through as Mellor looked to have stolen a yard on the flat-footed defence to reach a long ball over the top, but St Ledger stretch to just get a toe in and nick the ball away and send his former team-mate tumbling.

But Boro took the lead their first half pressure had deserved on 43 minutes as O’Neil was fouled just outside the box and stepped up to ram a low free-kick through the wall that keeper Lonergan got down and got a hand to, but the ball looped up high into the net.

Boro could have had a second a minute later as Johnson cut in from the right and weaved past a defender to send a shot from a tight angle flashing across the face of goal, with Emnes and Lita arriving in good positions in the box.

Preston piled forward after the break and Boro spent a lot of time on the back foot, Boro’s defence were having to work hard and as high punts rained in Wheater and St Ledger were being kept busy while first Bennett then Digard went in bravely to cut out dangerous balls and took knocks.

Preston almost levelled on 59 minutes when a neat ball down the inside left sent Carter surging to the edge of the box, but his well struck shot curled wide of the far post.

And they were back a minute later to get the almost inevitable equaliser as a Wallace cross from the left found Parkin at the near post, and his low shot was blocked by Jones then the loose ball was scooped off the line but only as far as Paul Parry who had arrived unmarked on the right to rifle in a shot that deflected in off Bennett at the near post.

And for a spell Boro were rocked as Preston bombarded the box and went close on 66 minutes as parry whipped in a cross from the right as Jones initially dropped the ball as he was crunched by heavyweight hitman Parkin, but reacted well to grab at the second attempt.

But Boro were back in front on 67 minutes with a moment of sheer quality from Adam Johnson.

Lita played a ball out to the left of the box for the winger to scoop up in his stride and swerve past Collins then lash a low drive beyond the diving keeper and inside the far post.

Preston had a golden chance to level again on 71 minutes as Parkin but in from the right and got past Wheater to bear down on goal, but with only Jones to beat his angled drive flew wide of the far post.

And on 73 minutes they won a free-kick 25 yards out but Wallace slammed it into the wall. But Boro looked dangerous on the break.

Johnson weaved into the box on 74 minutes but was upended by Jones but the ref waved play on.

And Johnson ripped Preston apart on 77 minutes as he picked up the ball on the byline on the left and tricked and teased his way through three men before chipping to the far post. Then when the ball was headed clear it fell to Williams 25 yards out and his low piledriver fizzed through the box and rattled back off the post.

But Preston salvaged a point in with a sickening leveller as they won a free-kick wide on the right for a foul on Parry, and when Wallace curled the free-kick into a crowded box, Billy Jones ran unmarked in at the far post to put in a close-range header.