Brad Potts earns Preston North End a 1-1 draw at Millwall as Alan Browne joins 400 club

In the week, Ryan Lowe and Jordan Storey had both spoken about the importance of keeping Zian Flemming quiet on Saturday afternoon. Heading into the game, North End's Netherlands nemesis had five goals to his name against the Lilywhites - more than any other opponent. But if Preston had a plan to nullify, it lasted a grand total of five minutes. Flemming has popped up with some moments of quality in previous clashes, but the simplicity of his sixth strike against PNE was tragic from the visitors' point of view - with the number ten allowed to ghost into the box and head home, unmarked, from George Honeyman's first time cross.

Previous meetings should have no real bearing on how a football match plays out on any given day, but you could forgive any North End supporter who headed to The Den with a degree of pessimism. The Lions have been one of PNE's obvious bogey sides in recent years - winning six, drawing three and losing one of the last 10 encounters. The away side, once again, were struggling for any kind of rhythm or control at The Den. Shortly after Flemming's opener, Ryan Longman saw a clever, flicked effort blocked inside the box before Jake Cooper headed at goal.

North End's attacking trio of Emil Riis, Will Keane and Mads Frokjaer had carried a threat last time out, at Elland Road. Here, Preston were desperately searching for any moment of encouragement in the final third. In Frokjaer, though, they have someone at home with the ball at his feet, looking to unlock and create. Even better if he has all the time in the world to do it. With 33 minutes on the clock, space suddenly opened up and the Dane thread the ball beautifully through to a galloping Brad Potts - who controlled, stayed composed and drilled low and hard for one apiece.

Preston, who had not got going one bit, were suddenly on level terms but also the evident team in the ascendency. North End were enjoying territory in Millwall's half and goal scoring chances were coming along, with the aforementioned trio causing problems along with the tricky Liam Millar - who now had opposite number Brooke Norton-Cuffy backpedalling. The Lions did manage to scrape in at half time level, but only after Millar and Keane had gone close. Lowe's side will have headed in at the break buoyed by their upturn in performance, as well as the increasing frustration among the home faithful.

Edwards would've been within his right to demand improvement after the break, while Lowe's request will have surely been to pick up where his team left off. The Lions, who had sunk deeper and deeper as the first half wore on, came out sharper and stronger. And in a throwback to the Gary Rowett days, set pieces started to bring Millwall some joy. Liam Lindsay was in the right place at the right time to thwart Wes Harding, from a corner, before North End managed to scramble the ball clear as a Lion looked to pounce.

As the game passed the hour mark, both managers turned to their respective benches. Robbie Brady and Milutin Osmajic were North End's first two subs, before captain Alan Browne was brought on for his 400th club appearances - nine minutes later. The desired impact certainly wasn't instant, but Osmajic did find himself played through down the right - after persistent and powerful work from Potts - only for his cut back into the box to evade anyone in yellow. And with injury time approaching, the Montenegrin was left with his hands on his face - as he guided well wide from Robbie Brady's fizzed cross.

In tight and stuffy games it is easy for teams to go into their shell, out of fear of losing the one point they have. But, both Millwall and Preston were pushing hard for a winner and came ever so close to finding one. Potts, galloping forward in trademark fashion once again, almost sparked scenes of utter frenzy in the lower tier of the away end. Matija Sarkic's leg managed to keep out his fierce drive though, with Brady the creator once more. And at the other end, Freddie Woodman had to watch the ball all the way to hold a last gasp header. Come the eventual final whistle, the two teams shook hands on a pretty fair share of the spoils all in all.

PNE starting XI: Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Hughes, Potts, Ledson (Browne 72'), Whiteman, Millar (Brady 63'), Frokjaer (Holmes 90+'), Riis (Osmajic 63'), Keane. PNE unused subs: Cornell, Cunningham, Bauer, Woodburn, Stewart.