Preston North End 2-2 Middlesbrough as it happened: Late drama at Hansen deals last gasp blow at Deepdale

Preston North End had to settle for a 2-2 draw with Middlesbrough after being pegged back in the 92nd minute.

There was little between the two teams in the opening quarter-of-an-hour of the early kick-off , as North End and Boro worked each other out. Alfie Devine dipped a free-kick just over the crossbar and Paul Heckingbottom’s side had some joy nicking the ball high, just to no avail. At the other end, Boro enjoyed spells of possession in and around Preston’s box but struggled to muster any opportunities.

With 22 minutes on the clock, and Preston growing in confidence, they broke the deadlock in real style. It’s early days in Lewis Dobbin’s loan spell, but he had already caught the eye and it was he who had the Deepdale faithful on their feet. The Aston Villa loan man got on the half turn, drove forward, worked room for a shot via step-overs and blasted his left footed strike into the roof of the net, from 18 yards.

Shortly after, it was heart in mouths for a moment as Iversen’s sliced punch from a Boro corner presented Luke Ayling with a snapshot chance, but he blazed his volley over the North End crossbar. Preston were striking just the right balance between organisation and aggression; a mazy run from Dobbin into the Middlesbrough box, from the left, created a promising opening but bodies on the line saw Boro prevent further damage. After space opened up for Hayden Hackney but he sliced high and wide from 20 yards, the Lilywhites headed in at half-time with the lead.

Kicking towards their sold out away end, and with summer signing David Strelec introduced at half-time, Boro came out of the blocks fast. Strelec saw a shot from close range deflect wide, after tricky work from Tommy Conway, and the decibels were raised among the travelling faithful. Celebrations not long after were cut short, with Callum Brittain in an offside position after tucking home. Morgan Whittaker had driven into space and seen a powerful effort deflect into the full-back’s path.

The early signs were that Preston would need to suffer for periods - similarly to against Ipswich - in order to get over the line. Having come through the first wave of Middlesbrough pressure, McCann carried a welcomed attack for North End and picked out Dobbin, whose prodded shot from inside the box hit the side-netting.

Heckingbottom turned to his bench on the hour, introducing Harrison Armstrong for his debut along with Mads Frokjaer and Michael Smith. The latter is waiting to grab his first goal in PNE colours, having netted eight for Sheffield Wednesday last season at the same level. Captain Ben Whiteman lifted a cross to the back post for him to attack, but the number 24 guided his effort wide.

This was a match that always looked to have another goal in it and with 72 minutes on the clock, bedlam in the Bill Shankly Kop was sparked. Boro substitute Sverre Nypan weaved his way into the Preston box, delivered a low cross which eventually looped up for Matt Targett to drill into the bottom right corner, on the volley.

One thing Heckingbottom has spoken about this season is having the bravery to go and win a match, instead of settling for a point. PNE showcased their ability to do that against Leicester City but Boro resembled a different animal on this particular afternoon. Three minutes from time, though, Whiteman’s corner was attacked and headed home by Jordan Storey - who looked to have scored a winning goal against Middlesbrough for the second time in his career.

But, with seven minutes of injury time added on there was still a long way for North End to go against a side still boasting a clear threat. After Lewis Gibson celebrated a vital block inside the box, the resulting corner was saved on the line by Iversen but never properly cleared - and Sontje Hansen’s bicycle kick eventually crept through a crowd of bodies, and over the line. A share of the spoils it was.

Attendance: 19,391 (5,728 away) PNE XI: Iversen; Storey, Gibson, Hughes, Valentin, Whiteman (c), McCann, Small (Vukcevic 79’), Devine (Armstrong 62’), Dobbin (Frokjaer 62’), Jebbison (Smith 62’). PNE unused subs: Walton, Lindsay, Offiah, Carroll, Thordarson.