Preston North End 1-1 Wrexham as it happened: Everton loan man opens account

Preston North End were made to settle for a 1-1 draw with Wrexham in dreadful conditions at Deepdale.

It was very much a case of, ‘what could’ve been’ for the Lilywhites, who racked up 24 shots and were the most dominant side for large parts of the game - following the Red Dragons’ quickfire opener, courtesy of Kieffer Moore. But, just when it looked like it may be one of those days, substitute Harrison Armstrong popped up with a calm finish inside a packed Wrexham box on 81 minutes.

Wrexham took the lead in the fifth minute after PNE failed to clear their lines. A deep cross from James McClean evaded everyone and all Moore had to do was bundle it into the back of the net, from one yard out.

After a shaky start, Preston responded well and many attacking players got themselves into the match - in particular Lewis Dobbin who, after winning the ball back twice in the space of 10 seconds, cut through the visitors’ defence with ease. The Aston Villa loan man weaved his way into the box and completed a 40-yard sprint before seeing his fired effort charged down.

The resulting corner was only half-cleared, allowing fellow loanee Alfie Devine to angle a low, curling effort towards goal - Arthur Okonkwo made his first save of the afternoon down to his left. On his first start since coming back from injury, Pol Valentin then sent an acrobatic effort over from close range, on 23 minutes, after a cross from the left evaded Michael Smith.

A Devine free kick delivery towards the far side of goal caused havoc for the Wrexham defence, with Okonkwo punching away a Smith header before Liam Lindsay had a go from close quarters, only to be denied by McClean’s goal line clearance. After a series of crosses were comfortably cleared by the away team, two eventually found their way to PNE players, but Smith and Jordan Storey’s headers - late on in the first half - glanced agonisingly wide of the post.

With seconds to go until the break, Okonkwo produced a stunning double save to keep out a header and then a follow-up from Thierry Small - from what seemed an almost impossible saving position.

North End’s number one, Daniel Iversen, then came up with heroics of his own in the opening stages of the second half. The Dane parried away a second Moore attempt of the game and then scurried across the goalmouth, to emphatically punch a McClean header away and keep the deficit to a single goal.

PNE went close again on 62 minutes, Small found the space to drive an effort low towards goal from 20 yards, but it crashed against the right post and was cleared. Up the other end, George Thomason guided his looping header - from McClean’s whipped cross - over the bar.

Okonkwo kept his side ahead with another superb stop on 80 minutes, parrying Andrew Hughes’ point blank header away. North End kept banging on the door and they were duly rewarded for their efforts one minute later.

Devine’s free kick bobbled as the away side scrambled to clear, but it eventually found the boot of substitute Harrison Armstrong who powerfully directed the ball into the net - some way for the Everton loanee to mark his return from a brief spell on the sidelines.

Storey could’ve turned the game on its head very shortly after but his close range effort, from Smith’s inviting cross, went high over the bar. Paul Heckingbottom’s side huffed and puffed in their search for the advantage as a dogged Wrexham became leggy.

Substitute Josh Windass did inject some new energy into the team and saw a decent effort whistle past the post, late on. Despite their best efforts, North End were held to a point but a dominant attacking display should give Heckingbottom positives to take into the busy festive period.

Attendance: 17,842. PNE starting XI: Iversen, Valentin (Offiah 60’), Whiteman (c), Lindsay, Storey, Hughes, Dobbin (Armstrong 70’), Devine, Thordarson (Jebbison 60’), Smith, Small. Unused subs: Walton, Vukcevic, Keane, Thompson, Mawene, Nolan.