Preston North End 1-1 Blackburn Rovers - Dramatic equaliser keeps PNE's play-off dream alive

Sammie Szmodics gave the visitors the lead in the second half but substitute Liam Delap saw his cross deflected into the Rovers net by Dominic Hyam in the final minute of stoppage time to give PNE a point.

Ryan Lowe made three changes for the game, Patrick Bauer came in for only his second league start of the season and third in all competitions, with Troy Parrott and Josh Onomah also starting.

Liam Lindsay, Ryan Ledson and Delap all dropped to the bench compared to the last game against Swansea City in midweek, with Robbie Brady not named in the squad.

North End had the first chance of the game, Josh Onomah laying the ball into Tom Cannon inside the area with the on loan Everton man dragging his effort wide of the far post.

Former Preston man Tyrhys Dolan had a go four minutes later inside the box but Jordan Storey was quick to close him down.

After 24 minutes Joe Rankin-Costello tried his luck from the edge of the area but Freddie Woodman was down to beat the ball away.

The home side replied two minutes later, Alvaro Fernandez carrying the ball 40 yards before timing his pass perfectly out to Brad Potts on the right, who couldn't keep his shot down as it sailed over the bar.

Preston kept looking for the breakthrough, Ben Whiteman trying to curl the ball into the bottom corner after 28 minutes but Aynsley Pears was down comfortably to smother the ball.

Blackburn had the ball in the net five minutes before half time as Dolan sent a low cross the way of Szmodics who converted, but the flag was up for the run of the Rovers' no.10 out wide.

In the only minute of stoppage time at the end of the first half, Whiteman had a chance to send his side in with the lead but his free kick from 20 yards out was saved by Pears.

Just two minutes into the second half Blackburn looked to be through on goal but for an important interception from Whiteman, Rankin-Costello being given room on 55 minutes to have another try for the visitors.

It was then Preston's turn to apply the pressure. Whiteman's corner from the left was kept alive by multiple headers, Rovers eventually managing to clear.

On the hour, it looked as though Rovers had taken the lead. Ben Brereton-Diaz was on off the bench, one of two half time subs, and he delivered a cross in from the left side of the box. It looked as though Szmodics had headed the ball into the net off the underside of the bar, though North End were quick to appeal for handball. Referee Rob Jones agreed, showing the Blackburn no.8 a yellow card for his attempts to deceive.

Blackburn remained the side asking the questions, Rankin-Costello having a go on the stretch after 66 minutes but he couldn't find the target.

Whiteman took aim with 19 minutes to go, though he connected well with the effort, and it bounced just before reaching Pears, the Rovers stopper was able to palm it away.

The visitors looked the side most likely to find the breakthrough and they did just that with just 10 minutes to go. Lewis Travis' through ball in between the two centre backs - North End having switched to a back four - found the run of Szmodics who checked inside Andrew Hughes and stroked the ball into the far corner.

North End looked to find an equaliser in the game, Delap sent on from the bench, but the away side managed the game well, taking the sting out of things.

Ali McCann poked an effort at goal in the third minute of five minutes added on, but Pears was down to save.

Hedges had the chance to win the game for the away side, he stole away behind the North End backline with plenty of time to pick his spot. He instead opted to try and chip Freddie Woodman, resulting in North End's no.1 catching the ball and setting his side on the attack.

With that reprieve, Preston seized their moment. Brad Potts' flick on fell to the feet of Delap, he rolled his man and whipped a low ball into the box. Hyam could only divert the ball beyond the reach of Pears and into the top corner in a dramatic finish to the game, salvaging a point for PNE and keeping their hopes of the play-offs just about alive.

PNE Starting XI: Woodman, Storey, Bauer (Woodburn, 76'), Hughes, Potts, Whiteman, Onomah, Johnson (McCann, 69'), Fernandez, Parrott, Cannon.

PNE Subs: Cornell, Lindsay, Brady, Ledson, Delap.

Blackburn Rovers Starting XI: Pears, Rankin-Costello, Carter, Hyam, Pickering, A Wharton, Travis, Morton (Brittain, 89'), Thomas (Hedges, 45'), Szmodics (S Wharton, 89'), Dolan (Brereton-Diaz, 45').

Blackburn Rovers subs: Kaminski, Garrett, Dack.

Attendance: 20,721 (4,932 away).