Five talking points as Preston North End stunned by Cardiff City and key refereeing decision

Down to ten men

This is the last thing Robbie Brady needed. It's no secret that the Irishman has come in for his fair share of flak this season, but you were hoping - after an improved showing at Blackburn Rovers - that he could become the next Preston player to prove the doubters wrong. However, there was really no excusing his red card on Saturday afternoon: a key moment in the game which ended up costing PNE. To go down to ten men, four minutes after taking the lead, is incredibly poor from such an experienced campaigner like himself.

Perhaps that is the frustrating element to Brady's game - someone who has played at the highest level, but has real moments of madness in his locker. His first booking appeared to be for protesting the yellow card shown to Jamilu Collins (more on that later). You cannot blame anyone who was frustrated at that call, but to then get shown a second - for a rash, needless foul early in the second half - is a rank bad look. Brady found himself trying to make up for a poor cross into the box and was out of control as he ran straight into Yakou Meite. For a player whose experience is often cited as a strength, Ryan Lowe will have felt badly let down.

Red card that wasn't

The PNE boss' reluctance to discuss Collins' booking post-match was puzzling at the time. But, it makes perfect sense now, because the replay tells you everything you need to know. Lowe coming out and berating the decision wouldn't have changed it, so perhaps he thought it was best to let the footage do the talking. The Cardiff man did not go in with overly dangerous force, but it is a red card every single day of the week and the decision not to send him off is utterly staggering. This was right in front of the two dugouts and fourth official, so it is astounding how the men in black came to the conclusion they did. And of course, Collins staying on the pitch was made even worse when Preston went down to ten themselves.

One positive to take away

We'll look to lift the mood mid-way through. Milutin Osmajic is getting going now and that should provide Preston's boss with real encouragement. North End paid a decent wedge to land the Montenegrin and he is looking more and more like an impressive pick up. Osmajic is that mobile, physical focal point who can finish and his mentality appears to be exactly right too. The goal was entirely his own doing and the confidence in his finish - despite some questioning positioning from Cardiff's goalkeeper - was excellent. PNE's number 28 is a fan favourite and he should certainly now back himself to hit double figures in his first season at Deepdale.

Scruffy then sloppy

North End defended so well for 43 minutes of the second half and the three points felt firmly in their grasp, with Cardiff creating very few chances. They had started to build up a touch of pressure, but Preston were clearing their lines and still running the hard yards. Then came Karlan Grant's truly bizarre equaliser, with Duane Holmes going to smash the ball clear but it hitting the Cardiff man and flying into the bottom right corner at top speed. You could argue that the odds were always against North End holding out, but there was no play involved in the goal. It looks like a complete freak moment, which Grant knew nothing about. If you tried to replicate it again, you would likely struggle.

And at that point Preston must've been totally deflated, but there were still three minutes to go and suddenly Cardiff were there, attacking again. In truth, it was absolutely no surprise to see them score a second. Ike Ugbo was left criminally unmarked and while the stuffing had been knocked out of PNE with the leveller, they simply must do better as a team to defend that action and at least take a point away from the game. The narrative completely flipped in a flash; from Preston digging in like never before to pick up three priceless points, to throwing them all away. North End were so close, but leading in the 95th minute and losing the match is quite ridiculous.

Selection, substitutes and shutting up shop

It's three games in seven days for North End, so the squad is certainly going to be needed. One thing which did stand out on Saturday was the strength of Preston's bench. Andrew Hughes, Calvin Ramsay and Jack Whatmough were back, with attacking options of Mads Frokjaer, Will Keane and Liam Millar. Lowe explained his rationale after the game, with Millar only back from Canada duty late on, Frokjaer having gone home sick on Friday and the defensive trio only just back from injuries. It was no surprise to see Hughes and Ryan Ledson introduced after Brady's dismissal, with Preston ahead in the match and the plan to clearly sit in and defend what they had.

There will be arguments that North End could've gone for a second goal more than they did, in order to kill the game off. PNE did have opportunities to score on the counter attack, but just didn't execute their final pass or shot quite right. The introduction of Millar, with six minutes of normal time to play was done to exploit space in behind - though the omission of Keane was strange. The number seven is mobile, tidy technically and can look after the ball. With Millar as the lone striker, the ball was never really going to stick. Whatmough has also shown his strength aerially and his presence in the closing stages could've been key.

But, hindsight is a wonderful thing and if North End see the final three minutes out then nobody is talking about substitutions. As for selection, Ched Evans did well off the bench at Blackburn and it's a squad game - but you would be surprised to see him start at Middlesbrough. And Brady was the Millar replacement, but his suitability for wing-back remains in doubt. Preston gave the Irishman a two-year contract in the summer and so, as long as he is at Deepdale, Lowe needs to find a way to get the best out of him. Right now, that is not happening.