Dave Seddon's verdict: Preston North End 2 Wycombe 2 - a rare Deepdale draw but it was tough going against Gareth Ainsworth's men

A further chapter chronicling Preston North End’s home form this season was written at the weekend and it made for slightly different reading.
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This was a first draw of the campaign at Deepdale, albeit it needed an own goal in the 88th minute to secure a point.

Had Scott Sinclair’s cross not been turned into his own net by Jason McCarthy, it would have been Wycombe Wanderers leaving town with three points just as Swansea, Stoke, Cardiff, Millwall, Birmingham and Blackburn had.

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So at least let’s be grateful for some small mercies, even it did need some good fortune to put a point on the board.

Wycombe manager Gareth Ainsworth has a chat with Graham Alexander ahead of the clash with Preston North End at DeepdaleWycombe manager Gareth Ainsworth has a chat with Graham Alexander ahead of the clash with Preston North End at Deepdale
Wycombe manager Gareth Ainsworth has a chat with Graham Alexander ahead of the clash with Preston North End at Deepdale

We are all weary of seeking answers as to why PNE have such contrasting home and away form.

To go from turning over AFC Bournemouth on their own patch to struggling to cope with Wycombe's directness in the space of five days is rather baffling.

It’s not a new phenomena, the 4-2 victory at Brentford followed by a home defeat to Cardiff – in mitigation there was a fortnight’s international break in between.

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Then there were the two away wins at Queens Park Rangers and Huddersfield giving way to losing against Birmingham here.

PNE striker Jayden Stockley runs to retrieve the ball from the net after Wycombe's Jason McCarthy scores an own goalPNE striker Jayden Stockley runs to retrieve the ball from the net after Wycombe's Jason McCarthy scores an own goal
PNE striker Jayden Stockley runs to retrieve the ball from the net after Wycombe's Jason McCarthy scores an own goal

Wycombe manager Gareth Ainsworth, three times formerly of this parish, was asked for his take on PNE’s Deepdale struggles.

That was a topic he had covered with his players ahead of the Chairboys’ first visit to Preston since January 2012.

Ainsworth said: “You look at their home form and see they have only won one – so have we.

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“It is something we had a look at and maybe the lack of fans is a big thing for North End.

North End midfielder Ryan Ledson has a shot blocked by Wycombe's Jason McCarthyNorth End midfielder Ryan Ledson has a shot blocked by Wycombe's Jason McCarthy
North End midfielder Ryan Ledson has a shot blocked by Wycombe's Jason McCarthy

“I know how inspirational the fans can be when they are here, it is a fantastic club to play for – I played more than 100 games.

“When this place is full it can really be the 12th man, so maybe we played them here at the right time.

“I’m sure Alex Neil will turn it round, he is a great manager and a good guy.

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“He is probably missing his fans as much as we did at the start of the season.”

North End substitute Emil Riis battles with Wycombe central defender Anthony StewartNorth End substitute Emil Riis battles with Wycombe central defender Anthony Stewart
North End substitute Emil Riis battles with Wycombe central defender Anthony Stewart

This was Ainsworth’s first visit as a full-time manager to Deepdale.

Having been such a popular player with the PNE fans in the 1990s, it was a shame they weren’t in the ground to welcome him back – Tier 3 seeing to that.

Ainsworth clearly enjoyed being back in this neck of woods, even if the stadium was largely empty. He had a long chat pitchside before the game with another North End favourite, Graham Alexander.

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Grezza was there on commentary duty for iFollow, Ainsworth and him Lilywhites team-mates briefly at the end of the 2001/2002 season when Ainsworth came back on loan for his third spell.

Some PNE supporters would take either of them over Alex Neil at the moment, the Scot again getting it in the neck from certain quarters after more home points were dropped.

Neil tends to get peace and quiet after an away game with how the form on the road has been, the home results being the stick used to beat him with.

His and North End’s home fortunes were not helped by losing Ben Pearson to a potentially serious ankle injury after half an hour of Wycombe’s visit.

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What didn’t help either was poor defending for both goals conceded, so too Emil Riis seemingly having his boots on the wrong feet at the other end of the pitch.

After PNE had pulled it back to 2-2, the substitute got clear two minutes into time added on but sliced a shot horribly wide of the near post;

Another effort even later in stoppage-time hit his boot and ended-up over by the corner flag.

Scott Kashket, the scorer of Wycombe’s second, will have had sympathy with Riis.

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Earlier in the second half he had miscued in front of goal when it had looked far easier to score.

A frustrating element of this result was that Preston had command of the game to start with and went in front.

For a fourth time in five games, Tom Barkhuizen got his name on the scoresheet.

The contest was in the 14th minute when a clearance out of the box was headed back towards it by Joe Rafferty.

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It flicked off McCarthy’s head and then Josh Knight just inside the box tried to guide a header back to his keeper.

Barkhuizen read it well, darting in and getting there just before Ryan Allsop to loop a header into the net.

Pearson’s injury suffered after half an hour changed the flow of the game.

His left boot seemed to get caught in the turf as he changed direction to switch play out to the right.

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The twist on his left ankle was severe and that was game over, the sight of him being helped to the dressing room by the physio and club doctor a depressing one.

Josh Harrop came on as his replacement, Ryan Ledson and Daniel Johnson shuffling back to allow him to play in the attacking midfield role.

North End lost their way somewhat and Wycombe began to impose themselves on the game a lot more, the imposing frame of Adebayo Akinfenwa their focal point up front with willing runners off him.

The visitors levelled three minutes into the second half, former PNE winger Daryl Horgan slipping a pass to Garath McCleary down the right-hand side of the area.

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McCleary finished well with a powerful drive across Declan Rudd from the side of the six-yard box.

Ainsworth’s men edged ahead with 15 minutes left, PNE’s habit of giving away cheap free-kicks catching up with them.

Joe Jacobson’s set-piece stayed low and hit the foot of the post, bouncing straight into the path of Kashket who guided the ball into the net.

Kashket had been Sinclair’s man in the box, so in a way the winger made amends by setting up the 87th minute equaliser.

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Substitute Brad Potts drove up the pitch, his pass finding Sinclair on the right-wing.

The winger took it on before sending over a cross which clipped a defender and then struck McCarthy who could only watch in horror as the ball flew into the net.

Riis should have won it with his late chance, whether that would have been deserved is another matter.

This was only the fourth time in 2020 that Preston had scored twice in the league at home, with it the first draw at Deepdale since they shared the spoils with Nottingham Forest on July 11.

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