Norwich City 2 Preston North End 2: Match report from Carrow Road which saw a Darnell Fisher collector's item and a share of the spoils for the Lilywhites

Scott Sinclair and Darnell Fisher found the net for the Lilywhites but the home side - fresh down from the Premier League - battled to get a point.

Fisher's goal was something of a collector's item, it being the first one the right-back had scored in a PNE shirt and only the second of his career.

Sinclair gave North End the lead from the penalty spot in the 14th minute after Ben Davies had got a push in the back at a corner.

Norwich equalised when Teemu Pukki's header somewhere slipped through Declan Rudd's grasp in the 31st minute, the keeper appearing to have got both hands to the ball.

PNE were back in front by half-time, Fisher scoring after a Sinclair shot had been blocked by a defender.

And that was a lead they held until the 85th minute when substitute Przemyslaw Placheta scored at the second attempt after he'd had a shot blocked.

While the Canaries had put plenty of pressure on towards the end, North End will feel hard done by not to have left with three points.

They were on top for good spells of the game, Ryan Ledson excellent in midfield and Alan Brown full of running as the No.10.

Even a late change to the team didn't disrupt them, Jayden Stockley having been due to start up front only for him to have to pull out after mentioning to the club doctor pre-match that his daughter had shown Covid-19 symptoms. He will now have to isolate.

Alex Neil had made five changes the side which started the Carabao Cup win over Derby, with Davies, Ledson, Ben Pearson, Tom Barkhuizen and Sinclair coming in

Daniel Johnson didn't make the match day squad because of a groin injury, although he was at the ground and sat with PNE's substitutes during the game.

North End started very well, pressing high up the pitch and making life uncomfortable for the home defence.

Davies looped a header over the bar from a Joe Rafferty corner and it was the same combination which led to the 14th minute opener.

When Davies moved to meet another Rafferty delivery, he got a shove in the back from Oliver Skipp right in front of referee John Brooks who pointed to the spot.

With DJ not involved and Paul Gallagher on the bench, Sinclair assumed penalty duties and rolled the spot-kick into the net sending Tim Krul the wrong way.

North End looked really comfortable at that stage but were to let Norwich back into the game with a soft goal just after the half-hour mark.

Declan Rudd seemed to have Pukki's header at the near post covered and got both gloves to it but somehow helped it into the net.

For a spell the hosts got on on top and when Ben Pearson's header back towards his own box fell short, Rudd had to dash off his line and kick clear as Pukki chased the loose ball.

PNE settled back down though, retaking the lead three minutes before half-time.

Ledson was at the centre of it with a superb defence-splitting pass which played in Sinclair behind the Norwich defence.

Sinclair turned inside and fired a shot across goal which was heading wide of the far post but struck Canaries defender Ben Godfrey on the chest.

The ball dropped into the path of Fisher who took a touch before firing into the net for his first PNE goal in 104 appearances for the club.

Two minutes into the second half, a foul by Xaxi Quintilla on Sinclair brought the Norwich man a yellow card and Preston a free-kick.

Sinclair took the free-kick from a couple of yards outside the box, his effort hitting the wall and bouncing behind for a corner.

Norwich threatened at the other end, right-back Max Aarons coming in field and curling a left-foot shot inches over Rudd's bar.

As the hour approached, Sean Maguire's play-off played in Alan Browne to the right of goal, his shot deflected behind for a corner.

Rafferty put the flag-kick into the middle, Bauer rising to send a downward header towards goal, one Sinclair couldn't quite get a touch on and Krul grabbed it near the line.

There was a close call for the Lilywhites when Norwich substitute Adam Idah got a low shot away which Rudd dived to his right to parry.

The rebound fell into the path of Placheta who lifted a first-time shot over the bar with most of the goal to aim at.

Placheta later put a free-kick from a yard outside the box too high, Bauer's block on Pukki having given it away.

With 10 minutes left, Neil made a triple substitution with Davies, Rafferty and Browne replaced by Andrew Hughes, Jordan Storey and Brad Potts.

Davies coming off looked an enforced change, the centre-half having had treatment a couple of minutes before.

Unfortunately the reshaped defence couldn't prevent Norwich's 85th minute equaliser.

A cross from the right found its way to Placheta, his first shot blocked by Bauer. But the ball came straight back into his path and he made no mistake with the second, putting it into the roof of the net.

There was a hint of handball on Placheta's part, the ball appearing to strike the top of his arm as he controlled ahead of the first attempt.

Both sides went for the winner, North End getting into a couple of promising positions around the box only to get crowded out.

In the fifth minute of stoppage-time, Rudd atoned for his mistake for the first Norwich goal by pulling off a fine save.

Placeta's cross to the far post was met by Pukki, his header on its way in until Rudd sprang up to fingertip it over the bar.

Norwich: Krul, Aarons, Zimmermann, Godfrey, Quintilla, McLean, Skipp, Cantwell (Hugill 89), Dowell (Placheta 25), Hernandez (Idah 62), Pukki. Subs (not used): Rupp, Tettey, Gibson, McGovern.

PNE: Rudd, Fisher, Bauer, Davies (Hughes 80), Rafferty (Storey 80), Pearson, Ledson, Barkhuizen, Browne (Potts 80), Sinclair, Maguire. Subs (not used): Harrop, Gallagher, Bodin, Ripley.

Referee: John Brooks (Leicestershire)

Attendance: 1,000