Preston North End in Numbers: Late goals are PNE’s Achilles’ heel as the draw with Leeds United illustrated

Without Reading’s stoppage-time winner at the weekend and Leeds’ late equaliser on Tuesday, North End would have three extra points in the bag and could be sitting pretty in second spot in the Championship – just a point behind leaders West Bromwich Albion.

Instead, it is Marcelo Bielsa’s Whites who occupy the second automatic promotion spot after Eddie Nketiah 87th-minute equaliser cancelled out Tom Barkhuizen’s 74th-minute striker strike.

While that Leeds goal came late, it was early 
compared to Matthew Miazga’s winner for the Royals on Saturday, which came in the 97th minute of injury time.

It was virtually the last kick of the game – North End only able to take the kick-off before the referee blew the final whistle.

That goal was the latest North End have conceded since January 2014 when Coventry equalised in the seventh of five added-on minutes, which incidentally was the game when Kevin Davies scored PNE’s 7,000th league goal.

Earlier that season, PNE – then managed by Simon Garyson – took a 4-3 lead in the 92nd minute at Sixfields against the Sky Blues but then conceded an equaliser in the 95th minute.

Other recent late goals saw North End lose 3-2 at Huddersfield in April 2017 to a 96th-minute penalty.

Sheffield Wednesday equalised in the 94th minute during a 1-1 draw on New Year’s Eve 2016.

Fulham equalised in the 95th minute at Craven Cottage in October 2017 and then won at Deepdale thanks to a 91st-minute goal in March last year.