Preston North End 1 Millwall 1 match report: Deepcale clash ends all square as Murray Wallace scores at both ends

Lions defender Murray Wallace scored at both ends, sliding a Daniel Johnson cross into his own net in the sixth minute to give the Lilywhites the lead.

He made amends to his team-mates in the 22nd minute, climbing to send a powerful header into the top corner for Millwall’s equaliser.

How the contest finished 1-1 was a bit of a puzzle though, with chances coming thick and fast at both ends.

Brad Potts, Sean Maguire and Daniel Johnson all had decent chances for North End, with them also working themselves into some great positions only for the final ball to let them down.

At the other end, North End goalkeeper Daniel Iversen pulled off a stunning triple save in the second half to keep Millwall at bay, saving with his feet from Benik Afobe, Jed Wallace and Dan McNamara in rapid-fire succession.

The pace of the contest slowed down in the closing stages, certainly the flow of chances slowed, but it was nevertheless it was a very decent Easter watch. A draw did little for either side much good in terms of positions, it making Millwall’s play-off chances look slimmer and leaving PNE in mid-table.

North End’s starting XI had shown two changes from the win against Queens Park Rangers, Maguire and Potts replacing Emil Riis and Ali McCann.

Maguire had replaced Riis late in the first half last week, with Potts returning at right wing-back after having a stomach bug.

It was a slightly bizarre start to the game, Millwall having kick-off with Jed Wallace punting it forward and out of play – whether he was trying to catch Iversen, remains to be seen.

PNE settled quickly and went close in the second minute, Greg Cunningham’s pass playing in Johnson down the left.

Johnson’s cut-back ran into the path of Potts whose shot spun off Murray Wallace and flashed just past the post.

PNE’s sixth minute opener had its origins down the left too, Cunningham and Johnson again combining.

Wing-back Cunningham won a header near the touchline which Johnson latched on to and took down the left hand side of the box.

His low ball was aimed for Maguire at the far post but Wallace slid it into his own net as he tried to cut the cross out.

Maguire’s 11th minute shot from 20 yards was saved by keeper Bartosz Bialkowski diving to his left.

At the other end Lions midfielder Billy Mitchell drove a low shot across goal and wide of the far post, before Millwall equalised in the 22nd minute.

North End defended a set piece on the edge of the box, with the ball worked out to Jed Wallace down the right channel.

He lifted a cross into the middle where his namesake Murray climbed 14 yards out to power a header past Iversen into the top corner.

Birthday boy Alan Browne limped out of the action just before the half-hour mark having been hurt in a tackle a couple of minutes before.

McCann came off the bench to replace him in a straight swap in midfield.

It was substitute McCann who launched a raid up field on the break in the 35th minute, driving up the middle of the pitch.

His pass on the outside found Johnson who took the ball into the box and tried to pick out Maguire with a rolled cross but the ball struck McCann who couldn’t halt his run and the move broke down.

Just before half-time, Maguire saw a shot on the angle blocked by a defender when Cameron Archer was well placed for a ball inside of him.

Inside the opening two minutes of the second half, Johnson’s pass from the centre circle found Maguire 25 yards out, the striker collecting the ball on the half turn and getting a low shot away which travelled just wide as the keeper scramble across.

North End were indebted to Iversen for making a triple save in the 55th minute, the Dane displaying some remarkable goalkeeping.

He stuck out a foot to keep out Afobe’s close-range effort then did the same to somehow block Wallace’s follow-up. The ball spun into the path of McNamara who again saw a shot hit the keeper.

When the ball was cleared out of the box, Maikel Kieftenbeld’s curling shot clipped the outside of the post and went wide.

It needed a good save from Bialkowski to prevent North End regaining the lead three minutes after Iversen’s heroics.

Maguire’s pass found Archer who in turn played Maguire through on goal in the box.

The Irishman tried to lift the ball over Bialkowski, the ball spinning off the keeper and dropping just wide.

Further chances came PNE’s way, Patrick Bauer shooting wide from Maguire’s pass. Then McCann carried the ball up field on the break and fed Johnson who saw his shot deflect off a defender and go behind.

A double substitution in the 67th minute saw Ched Evans and Josh Murphy replace Maguire and Potts.

Both subs linked-up well three minutes after coming on, Evans’ ball finding Murphy who cut in from the right and curled a low shot goalwards which Bialkowski dived to glove away.

PNE: Iversen, Van den Berg, Bauer, Hughes, Whiteman, Potts (Murphy 67), Browne (McCann 29), Johnson, Cunningham, Maguire (Evans 67), Archer. Subs: Ripley, Sinclair, Earl, Diaby.

Millwall: Bialkowski, Ballard, Cooper, M Wallace, McNamara, Mitchell (Saville 73), Kieftenbeld, Malone, J Wallace, Burke (Bradshaw 71), Afobe. Subs: Long, Hutchinson, Ojo, Leonard, Evans.

Referee: Thomas Bramall (Sheffield)

Attendance: 11,979 (578 away)

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