Town were left frustrated again as the 10 men of Preston held out for a draw following first-half strikes from Ross Wallace and Jon Walters.

Wallace put the visitors ahead on 11 minutes with a sweetly struck left foot shot but Blues levelled just before the break. Liam Trotter's close range effort was judged to have been handled by referee Paul Taylor. Callum Davidson saw red and although Andy Lonergan saved Walters' penalty, the wideman put the rebound away.

Town boss Roy Keane made three changes from the team that went down to Peterborough in the Carling Cup. Tommy Smith coming in at left-back for Damien Delaney, with Gareth McAuley and Trotter handed a start - David Wright and Alan Quinn making way.

Former Blue Veliche Shumulikoski was given a warm ovation from the Town fans on his return to Portman Road and it was North End who started the better with Jon Parkin denied by Richard Wright when clean through inside the first two minutes after a mistake by Pim Balkestein.

Referee Paul Taylor waved a flurry of yellow cards on six minutes with Wallace penalised for a foul on Walters, then the Town man yellow carded for squaring up to Davidson, whose name went into the notebook soon after for taking down Walters.

Wallace put the visitors ahead on 11 minutes, arrowing the ball into the far corner after twisting inside and outside Alex Bruce.

McAuley stayed strong to hold off the man mountain that is Parkin inside the Town box following Chris Brown's cross, while at the other end Tamas Priskin sent a header over from Walters' cross.

Blues would have been level eight minutes before the break if it hadn't been for a terrific save from Lonergan, the Preston 'keeper denying Pablo Counago from six yards, Wright then having to be alert to keep our Wallace's long range effort.

The equaliser for Town came on 43 minutes, Trotter's shot was handled by Davison - who was sent-off once the officials had sorted out the culprit and Walters scored from the rebound after Lonergan kept out his initial effort. Preston immediately replacing Parkin with Eddie Nolan.

McAuley was denied by Lonergan from Martin's corner in the first minute of the second-half, Preston then breaking after Tommy Smith lost the ball to Richard Chaplow, Jack Colback recovering well to clear the ball over Wright's bar at full stretch with Brown looking to strike.

Preston made a second change with Chris Sedgwick on for Paul Parry just before the hour, Blues following suit with a triple switch - Connor Wickham and Jon Stead on for Priskin and Counago, Quinn replacing Martin.

Stead was immediately in the wars, clashing heads with Sean St Ledger - both receiving lengthy treatment.

Wickham and Stead got in each other's way from Bruce's cross six yards out, Liam Chilvers doing well to clear from Walters' dangerous corner.

Wickham had a chance to put Town ahead on 73 minutes but Lonergan and St Ledger combined to force the teenager wide and his pass back evaded the on rushing Walters.

Chaplow and Brown led a Preston break down the right, creating an opening for Wallace whose left foot shot was deflected into the sidenetting by Wright.
Michael Hart replaced the groggy St Ledger for the final 10 minutes, Preston forced back as Town enjoyed a spell of possession around the visitors' goal, Colback showing a twist and turn to almost find Stead with a cross.

Chilvers did well to clear from Stead at the far post, McAuley then sending a looping header onto the roof of the net as Blues pressed for a winner, Lonergan denying Wickham seconds before the final whistle.

Town: R.Wright, Bruce, McAuley, Balkestein, Smith, Walters, Colback, Trotter, Martin (Quinn 60), Counago (Stead 60), Priskin (Wickham 60). Subs not used: Lee Barrett, Delaney, Ainsley, Healy. Booked: Walters.

Preston: Lonergan, Jones, St Ledger (Hart 81), Chilvers, Davidson, Parry (Sedgwick 56), Chaplow, Shumulikoski, Wallace, Brown, Parkin (Nolan 44). Subs not used: Henderson, Carter, Elliott, Mellor. Sent-off: Davidson. Booked: Wallace, Davidson.
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