And Alan Irvine's side may live to regret not being able to see off both Sheffield United and Plymouth when the battle for the play-off places is decided in May.

North End had enough chances to send the Pilgrims back to the West Country empty-handed, but failed to find the knockout punch in a one-sided contest.

Keeper Romain Larrieu produced two stunning saves in stoppage time to deny Jon Parkin, first sticking out a hand to palm a back post header away and then getting down to turn a stinging shot against the upright as Preston pushed for the winner in a frantic finale.

But it was not to be and two points from a Deepdale double-header could prove costly in the final shake-up.

Parkin grabbed North End's goal two minutes bef ore the break to cancel out an early opener from Jamie Mackie.

North End had generously ended a 556-minute goal drought for the Pilgrims away from Home Park when they handed them the lead after just 13 minutes - Mackie capitalising on sloppy defending at a hotly contested corner to sweep home their first goal on the road in seven matches.

It was one-way traffic for the bulk of the half with Preston pinning the visitors back in their own half.

Ross Wallace couldn't get enough on a first-time shot from a Billy Jones cross and keeper Romain Larrieu had the simple of job of flopping down to his right to gather.

Jon Parkin was just wide with an effort on the turn and Jones curled a left-foot shot inches wide.

So it was a massive surprise when Plymouth took the lead in the 13th minute totally against the run of play.

North End had every right to feel aggrieved when referee Andy Haines signalled a corner when the ball appeared to come off Jamie Mackie. But when the cross came into the box there was no excuse for the way they defended it.

Andrew Lonergan flapped at the cross, the ball seemed to hit Youl Mawene's hand and Mackie was there to sweep it into the net, ending a 556-minute goal drought for the Pilgrims away from Home Park.
The goal spurred Preston on to pile forward even more and Stephen Elliott wsas denied by an acrobatic Larrieu save as he cut in from the left.

Eddie Nolan put a header over the top when he was unmarked at the left-hand post following a corner. And Sean St Ledger was just a whisker away from connecting with a Wallace corner as he steamed in at the near post.

Parkin then had a golden chance 10 yards out, but the ball caught under his feet and the opportunity was lost.

But in another rare raid upfield Plymouth very nearly made it 2-0. Mawene failed to spot Paul Gallagher lurking behind him as he allowed a long ball to find its way back to Lonergan and the on-loan Blackburn striker missed a gift of a chance by fluffing his shot as he tried to lift it over the keeper.

Preston's pressure finally paid off two minutes before the interval when Elliott whipped a cross in from the left, the ball dropped over defender Cathcart and Parkin had time to chest it down and pick his spot to level things up.

The second half was only three minutes old when Plymouth won a free-kick 25 yards from Preston's goal and Gallagher curled in a shot which Lonergan got across at full stretch to palm away.

Moments after that North End broke down the left and Wallace's cross was met by Elliott racing in at the near post, but his glancing header was just too high.

Then Nicholson thumped in a shot which Larrieu could only fist over the crossbar.

Wallace chipped into the middle from the left to find Parkin with his back to goal, but when he spun round and let fly the keeper spread himself to beat the ball away.

Plymouth reminded their hosts that they could be a threat on the break when Mackie set off on a run through the middle and was only prevented from scoring by the combined efforts of Lonergan and Jones.

Chris Brown replaced Elliott and within seven minutes very nearly put North End in front.

Mckenna chipped the ball over the top to find the striker on his own in front of goal, but he hesitated before knocking it wide of the post.

In a nail-biting final few minutes keeper Larrieu tipped a Wallace shot over the top and Parkin was refused a penalty when he appeared to be brought down by Craig Noone.

In stoppage time Larrieu made two excellent stops to deny Parkin a deserved winner.
First he saved one-handed when the big striker ghosted in at the far post and then got down to turn The Beast's shot on to the post and b ehind for a corner.

At the start of the night North End were given a major boost when midfield provider Wallace was passed fit. The flying winger recovered from the ankle injury which forced him to miss Saturday's goalless draw with Sheffield United and went straight back in on the left-hand side.

But while Wallace was restored to the line-up there was a shock for Richard Chaplow, dropped to the bench after a below-par performance against the Blades.

Nicholson took over his central role alongside skipper McKenna, with Sedgwick switching across to his more orthodox position on the right wing.

Irvine kept faith with the other 10 from North End's first goalless draw in 15 months, meaning Parkin continued to partner Elliott up front.
As expected the game came too soon for Callum Davidson who is still struggling to recover from a calf strain picked up against Swansea a week ago.

Plymouth boss Paul Sturrock also made one change from the side which ground out a point at Ipswich at the weekend, Cathcart coming into defence in place of Marcel Seip.

Gallagher, who spent half a season on loan at Preston, returned as Argyle's top scorer with seven.

Preston North End: Lonergan, Jones, Mawene, St Ledger, Nolan, Sedgwick, Nicholson,
McKenna, Wallace, Parkin, Elliott.

Substitutes: Neal, Chaplow, Brown, Carter, Whaley.

Plymouth Argyle: Larrieu, McNamee, Timar, Cathcart, Barker, Mackie, Walton, Duguid,
Clark, Gallagher, FRallon.

Substitutes: Maclean, Summerfield, Noone, Judge, Doumbe.

Referee: Andy Haines (Tyne and Wear).