Four things we learned from Preston North End’s draw with Coventry City

A 98th-minute equaliser gave the Sky Blues a point, after Daniel Johnson had netted from the spot one minute from the end of the 90.

Liam Lindsay had been sent off for his second booking on 84 minutes and Fankaty Dabo was also shown a red card, his a straight red after conceding the penalty.

TOM SANDELLS looks at four talking points from the game.

1. An opportunity not taken.

Although Coventry started the game very well and looked like they could have run away with things in the early stages, PNE did get to grips with the home side.

As they grew into the game they became the more likely to score and win it.

They had chance after chance and but for Simon Moore in the Coventry goal, it could have been a very different afternoon for them.

There is much to be said about the way the game ended and what transpired but the bottom line is that there were chances in the game for PNE to take it out of reach.

The antics of those invading the pitch led to the referee adding plenty of time on, but it could have been immaterial had Preston taken their chances.

2. Heartbreak at the death.

After two sendings off, pitch invaders, a goal and substitutes, the game reached the 98th minute.

It would be then that Coventry snatched something from the game. We have been used to PNE seeing out games with narrow margins, generally very successfully, but credit has to be given to Fabio Tavares for the manner in which he won the point. It was an impressive finish that took the wind out of the sails of all in the PNE camp, players, staff and fans alike.

3. A bridge too far.

The play-offs have been talked about this season under Ryan Lowe but it may be too soon for that.

Even now, they are not out of the running for the top six but games such as those against Coventry and Nottingham Forest have shown that PNE do not always have it in them to turn draws into wins – and that could be the difference. It is not to say that things aren’t going well or that they’re not heading in the direction of the play-offs, but to expect that this season could just be a bridge too far.

4. Pitch invaders.

Without giving too much attention to those that ran onto the pitch at Coventry, it’s a huge concern.

The safety of those involved could all be jeopardised by some idiots that take things a step too far.

At the end of the day, the players on the pitch are completely defenceless to unprovoked attacks and more should be done to stop them getting on the pitch.

Coventry did not learn after the first intruder, nor the second as a third managed to join in with their celebrations for their equaliser.

Not to mention that the stoppages may have then contributed to their team snatching a point, rewarding the idiocy.