PNE retro game: When Preston North End came back from 2-0 down to beat Stoke City 3-2 in January 2007

Preston North End staged a stunning comeback to turn their January 2007 clash with Stoke City on its head and collect three points.
Kelvin Wilson celebrates his last-minute winner for Preston against Stoke at Deepdale in January 2007Kelvin Wilson celebrates his last-minute winner for Preston against Stoke at Deepdale in January 2007
Kelvin Wilson celebrates his last-minute winner for Preston against Stoke at Deepdale in January 2007

The Lilywhites found themselves 2-0 down inside seven minutes.

It stayed that way until the 65th minute when a rocket shot from Paul McKenna shook them into life and halved the deficit.

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David Nugent equalised with 16 minutes left, before Kelvin Wilson netted an 89th minute winner to send the Deepdale crowd wild.

Preston score the winner against StokePreston score the winner against Stoke
Preston score the winner against Stoke

It had much in common with North End’s victory over Blackburn last Saturday, and there have been other games over the last 30 years or so when PNE have fought back to overturn two-goal deficits to win a game.

At the time of this clash with Stoke, Paul Simpson’s men were in third place in the Championship.

They fell behind with just 90 seconds on the clock.

It was an error from Wilson which led to the goal, with the centre-half stretching to try and head a cross out of the box.

Lewis Neal hurdles a challenge from Dominic MatteoLewis Neal hurdles a challenge from Dominic Matteo
Lewis Neal hurdles a challenge from Dominic Matteo
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But he succeeded only in laying the ball into the path of Liam Lawrence whose shot found the net despite Carlo Nash managing to get a glove on it.

Things got worse in the seventh minute, as Wilson and Nash left one another to deal with a bouncing ball in the box.

Mamady Sidibie nipped in and guided a header into the unguarded net – keeper and defender sharing a few choice words as a result.

If Preston had been awful in the first half, they more than made up for it after the interval.

David Nugent scores PNE's equaliser against StokeDavid Nugent scores PNE's equaliser against Stoke
David Nugent scores PNE's equaliser against Stoke
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They bossed the second 45 minutes, working hard to make inroads into the Stoke defence and once they had breached it they never looked back.

It took a fine finish from McKenna to get them back into the contest.

The midfielder pulled the trigger on a right-foot shot from 25 yards to send the ball rocketing past City keeper Steve Simonsen.

Game on! From then on it looked inevitable that PNE would get something from the game, it was just a case of one point or three.

David Nugent rides a tackle against StokeDavid Nugent rides a tackle against Stoke
David Nugent rides a tackle against Stoke
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They equalised in the 74th minute, substitute Simon Whaley sending over a fine cross from the right-wing which Nugent headed home at the near post.

The home side piled on the pressure as they looked for a winner, roared on by the crowd which had booed them off at half-time.

Danny Pugh twice saw shots deflected inches past the post.

However, the winner came in the 89th minute as their pressure finally told.

North End forced their 12th corner of the game and when it came into the box, Simonsen tired to collect but made a hash of it.

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The ball dropped in the six-yard box where Wilson with his back to goal hooked it goalwards and into the net.

It was the defender’s first goal for North End and only the fifth of his career.

PNE: Nash, Alexander, Wilson, Chilvers, Hill, Sedgwick (Whaley 59), McKenna, Pugh, Neal, Ormerod (Ricketts 67), Nugent. Subs (not used): Lonergan, St Ledger, Dichio.