A morale-boosting performance says Preston fan Tim Mercer after watching his team earn a point at Norwich

What a difference a week makes! A much improved North End continued to build on the confidence boosting midweek away win in the League Cup with a cracking performance down in Norfolk which left us all slightly frustrated in not taking all three points back to Lancashire.

This match had also been chosen as a Covid-easing ‘pilot’ by the EFL and so it was great to hear some fan noise from the 1,000 home supporters who had been allowed to attend. Preston were bright from the off and deservedly took the lead … albeit with a soft-looking penalty awarded for a push on Ben Davies as a cross came in following a corner.

In real time it looked uncontroversial, but replays showed there really wasn’t much contact and if it had been the other way around we would all be feeling aggrieved.

With the usual two dependable penalty takers not on the pitch, Scott Sinclair took up the responsibility and calmly slotted home. Such a pity then that Norwich were allowed back in due to a goal keeping error by l former Canaries player Declan Rudd.

He allowed a header by Teemu Pukki to go through his gloves in what should have been a routine parry. I’m going to put it down to ring rustiness following his return from injury, as he pulled off a fine stop late in injury time that prevented the hosts stealing an undeserved win.

Before the half was over the Lilywhites had their noses back in front due to that rarest of events in the form of a Darnell Fisher goal; his first for the club in more than 100 games.

It came following a lovely defence splitting pass by Ryan Ledson which put Sinclair in on goal for the initial strike.

Fisher followed up with an emphatic strike that clearly meant a lot to him. Preston continued their good form in the second half, but unsurprisingly a strong Norwich side played better and pushed for the equaliser which they got late in the game.

At that point PNE looked like they were going to see out the match , hence the feeling of frustration felt by us all at the end.