PNE 1 Milton Keynes Dons 1
Scott Wiseman grabbed a second half equaliser at Deepdale as North End and Milton Keynes Dons shared the spoils in a pulsating clash at Deepdale.
Carl Baker pounced on a ball into the six yard box from the left hand side to give the visitors the lead six minutes before the interval, but Wiseman volleyed expertly into the top left corner mid-way through the second period to level matters.
Manager Simon Grayson made two changes to the side that overcame Shrewsbury the previous week; Kevin Davies replacing Kyel Reid and Scott Laird in for the injured David Buchanan.
It was almost a blistering start for the Lilywhites, Chris Humphrey freed by John Welsh after just 25 seconds, flashing a shot across goal, but just wide of the left hand upright.
Seven minutes in Thorsten Stuckmann made a superb flying save to deny Daniel Powell, the midfielder forcing the German backwards with a chip, but he managed to get back and tipped the ball over after ball had been scrambled to Powell at the left hand corner of the penalty area.
North End built the pressure with some front foot football and after pushing down the left, Jermaine Beckford and Laird pressed and the former found himself in space in the left hand channel, before he pulled it back for Davies eight yards out, but the No.9 sliced his shot wide right.
On the half hour mark Chris Humphrey put over a cross from the right, Davies headed down, but Beckford couldn’t get full connection and David Martin saved low to his right.
The opener came six minutes before the interval, Carl Baker poking home after Dele Alli had driven in from the left and put the ball into the six yard box where the November player of the month couldn’t miss from close range.
The second half started with a good chance for Paul Gallagher - his hooked shot, after a long Scott Wiseman throw bounced through the box, straight at David Martin.
North End’s first corner of the game came since minutes into the second half and Gallagher’s delivery was superbly met by Paul Huntington on the volley but David Martin tipped it over the bar at full stretch. From the second corner it came back out the Gallagher who crossed from the right but Tom Clarke at the back post couldn’t keep his powerful header down.
The pressure continued as Beckford flashed a header into the side-netting from Gallagher’s cross and the latter’s free kick was met by Huntington at the back post, but straight into the arms of Martin, all in the first dozen minutes of the second period.
Davies again went close, this time from Beckford’s floated ball from the left, but once again Martin saved as the game reached the hour mark.
Kyel Reid came on, but it was Becdford with the next chance at the mi-point in the half, again Davies flicked on a ball to the edge of the box anf the on loan front man turned his man, but scuffed his shot narrowly past the right hand post from 12 yards out.
But moments later they were level. The ball came in from the right for Paul Gallagher and Beckford’s header ricocheted up in the air, but Kevin Davies did brilliantly to keep it in and flick the ball back for Scott Wiseman who volleyed brilliantly into the top left hand corner from 15 yards out.
The goal was followed by a controversial moment as McFadzean brought down last man Jermaine Beckford as he was about to go clean through, only for referee David Coote to only give a yellow card.
Kyel Reid was finding space in the final 15 minutes as well; with the game now stretched and North End looking to exploit the space, and the wing man flashed a shot just wide with seven minutes left after another excellent Davies flick on.
Andy Little was introduced for the last six minutes, making his return after three months on the sidelines.
Into the final five minutes and Huntington saw another shot deflected over the bar as North End had back to back corners. The pressure continued as Davies’ header from Gallagher’s right wing cross seemed to be heading to the bottom corner until Martin grabbed it on the line.
Five minutes was added on by the officials, but despite both sides giving their all in search of a winner, it was to be the first draw at Deepdale since August.
PNE line-up: Stuckmann, Wiseman, Laird, Kilkenny, Clarke (c), Huntington, Humphrey (Reid, 65), Welsh, K Davies, Beckford (Little, 84), Gallagher. Subs not used: Jones, Woods, King, Brownhill, Browne.
Milton Keynes Dons line-up: Martin, Spence, Lewington (c), Alli, McFadzean, Kay, Reeves (Bowditch, 73), Potter, Powell (Carruthers, 79), Afobe (Grigg, 90), Baker. Subs not used: McLoughlin, Hodson, Green, Baldock, Carruthers.
Attendance: 9,856 (332 way fans)
Referee: Mr D Coote
Carl Baker pounced on a ball into the six yard box from the left hand side to give the visitors the lead six minutes before the interval, but Wiseman volleyed expertly into the top left corner mid-way through the second period to level matters.
Manager Simon Grayson made two changes to the side that overcame Shrewsbury the previous week; Kevin Davies replacing Kyel Reid and Scott Laird in for the injured David Buchanan.
It was almost a blistering start for the Lilywhites, Chris Humphrey freed by John Welsh after just 25 seconds, flashing a shot across goal, but just wide of the left hand upright.
Seven minutes in Thorsten Stuckmann made a superb flying save to deny Daniel Powell, the midfielder forcing the German backwards with a chip, but he managed to get back and tipped the ball over after ball had been scrambled to Powell at the left hand corner of the penalty area.
North End built the pressure with some front foot football and after pushing down the left, Jermaine Beckford and Laird pressed and the former found himself in space in the left hand channel, before he pulled it back for Davies eight yards out, but the No.9 sliced his shot wide right.
On the half hour mark Chris Humphrey put over a cross from the right, Davies headed down, but Beckford couldn’t get full connection and David Martin saved low to his right.
The opener came six minutes before the interval, Carl Baker poking home after Dele Alli had driven in from the left and put the ball into the six yard box where the November player of the month couldn’t miss from close range.
The second half started with a good chance for Paul Gallagher - his hooked shot, after a long Scott Wiseman throw bounced through the box, straight at David Martin.
North End’s first corner of the game came since minutes into the second half and Gallagher’s delivery was superbly met by Paul Huntington on the volley but David Martin tipped it over the bar at full stretch. From the second corner it came back out the Gallagher who crossed from the right but Tom Clarke at the back post couldn’t keep his powerful header down.
The pressure continued as Beckford flashed a header into the side-netting from Gallagher’s cross and the latter’s free kick was met by Huntington at the back post, but straight into the arms of Martin, all in the first dozen minutes of the second period.
Davies again went close, this time from Beckford’s floated ball from the left, but once again Martin saved as the game reached the hour mark.
Kyel Reid came on, but it was Becdford with the next chance at the mi-point in the half, again Davies flicked on a ball to the edge of the box anf the on loan front man turned his man, but scuffed his shot narrowly past the right hand post from 12 yards out.
But moments later they were level. The ball came in from the right for Paul Gallagher and Beckford’s header ricocheted up in the air, but Kevin Davies did brilliantly to keep it in and flick the ball back for Scott Wiseman who volleyed brilliantly into the top left hand corner from 15 yards out.
The goal was followed by a controversial moment as McFadzean brought down last man Jermaine Beckford as he was about to go clean through, only for referee David Coote to only give a yellow card.
Kyel Reid was finding space in the final 15 minutes as well; with the game now stretched and North End looking to exploit the space, and the wing man flashed a shot just wide with seven minutes left after another excellent Davies flick on.
Andy Little was introduced for the last six minutes, making his return after three months on the sidelines.
Into the final five minutes and Huntington saw another shot deflected over the bar as North End had back to back corners. The pressure continued as Davies’ header from Gallagher’s right wing cross seemed to be heading to the bottom corner until Martin grabbed it on the line.
Five minutes was added on by the officials, but despite both sides giving their all in search of a winner, it was to be the first draw at Deepdale since August.
PNE line-up: Stuckmann, Wiseman, Laird, Kilkenny, Clarke (c), Huntington, Humphrey (Reid, 65), Welsh, K Davies, Beckford (Little, 84), Gallagher. Subs not used: Jones, Woods, King, Brownhill, Browne.
Milton Keynes Dons line-up: Martin, Spence, Lewington (c), Alli, McFadzean, Kay, Reeves (Bowditch, 73), Potter, Powell (Carruthers, 79), Afobe (Grigg, 90), Baker. Subs not used: McLoughlin, Hodson, Green, Baldock, Carruthers.
Attendance: 9,856 (332 way fans)
Referee: Mr D Coote