Match report: PNE 0 Wolves 0

With the game in the fifth minute of added-on time, substitute Simon Makienok's pass put Jordan Hugill through on goal but the striker lifted his shot over the bar.

Makienok had gone close with a 74th minute header, while Marnick Vermijl looked unfortunate not to earn a penalty when tugged down in the box.

It was a poor game generally, the first half especially so - both sides had only one shot on target apiece and at times cancelled each other out.

Ben Pearson had returned to the Preston midfield after serving a one-match suspension, replacing Ben Pringle who was not in the squad because of illness.

This was Bailey Wright's 200th appearance for North End, the defender having returned unscathed from international duty with Australia.

Jermaine Beckford was missing from the bench because of a knock.

North End started in a 4-1-4-1 system, Paul Gallagher in a deep role with Pearson and Daniel Johnson in front of him - Callum Robinson and Aiden McGeady out wide.

The first half was a battle of attrition more than anything, with few chances of note created by either side.

In the seventh minute, Hugill found a bit of room to take the ball past his man before trying his luck with a 20-yard shot which went over the bar.

Robinson checked inside from the left-wing and curled a right-foot shot straight at former PNE goalkeeper Andrew Lonergan.

A strong run by Helder Costa carried the Wolves winger down the right channel and into the Preston box, before Tom Clarke stepped across to take the ball off him with a strong tackle.

Hugill, who found it tough going against the visitors' two centre-halves, was booked in the 42nd minute for a word out of turn to one of the assistants in protest at not being awarded a free-kick.

Wolves midfielder Jack Price followed him into referee James Linington's notebook soon after for pulling back Robinson.

A couple of chances came North End's way in the opening stages of the second half.

McGeady's 51st minute cross from the right side of the box found Hugill beyond the far post, the striker choosing to put a header back across goal rather than at it.

Soon after, a Robinson centre was cleared by the Wolves defence as far as Gallagher on the edge of the box, the midfielder taking a touch before sending a shot inches too high.

Wolves were not too far away from breaking the deadlock when Matt Doherty's low shot went just wide of the post, George Saville having set up the chance.

Makienok replaced the limping Gallagher just before the hour, the Dane giving Hugill some company up front.

With 72 minutes on the clock, a McGeady free-kick from the left - awarded after a foul on Greg Cunningham by Danny Batth - found Hugill but his glancing header dropped wide of the back post.

Two minutes later came PNE's best chance to date, Johnson's pass sending Alex Baptiste charging away down the right.

Baptiste sent over a fine cross on the run which Makienok jumped to meet in the middle but headed just over the bar.

Preston appealed loudly for a penalty in the 80th minute when substitute Vermijl went over in the box, the referee shaking his head.

In the scramble that ensued, the ball broke to McGeady who fired a low shot into the side-netting from a narrow angle on the left side of the box.

At the other end, Wolves' Icelandic striker Jon Dadi Bodvarsson teed himself for an overhead kick just inside the box, one which travelled over Chris Maxwell's bar.

Stoppage-time chances came at both ends, Nouha Dicko heading just wide of the near post after getting on the end of a cross from fellow substitute Ivan Cavaleiro.

Then in the 95th minute, Makeinok's pass evaded Kortney Hause who slipped, leaving Hugill with a clear run of goal.

But Hugill never looked too confident and lifted his shot over the bar as Lonergan raced off his line to narrow the angle.

PNE: Maxwell, Baptiste, Clarke, Wright, Cunningham, McGeady, Pearson, Johnson, Gallagher (Makienok 58), Robinson (Vermijl 77), Hugill. Subs (not used): Grimshaw, Doyle, Spurr, Huntington.

Wolves: Lonergan, Iorfa, Batth, Hause, Doherty, Coady, Price (Cavaleiro 86), Costa (Dicko 78), Enobakhare (Wallace 63), Saville, Bodvarsson. Subs (not used): Stearman, Teixeira, Saiss, Flatt.

Referee: James Linington (Isle of Wight)

Attendance: 12,863 (2,300 away)