Match ends, Blackburn Rovers 2, Preston North End 2.
Aiden McGeady scored deep into injury-time as Preston denied relegation-threatened Blackburn a vital win in an entertaining Lancashire derby.
North End took the lead when Tom Barkhuizen latched onto a Jordan Hugill pass to fire in from close range.
Lucas Joao hit the post for Rovers before Elliott Bennett's 20-yard strike levelled matters at the break.
Craig Conway converted Marvin Emnes' cross before McGeady fired in from 10 yards in the 93rd minute.
Rovers, who have now drawn their past three games 2-2, were just moments from creeping out of the Championship relegation zone but now find themselves still in 22nd place, a point adrift of Bristol City, Nottingham Forest and Burton Albion.
They have, however, improved significantly under new boss Tony Mowbray having gone unbeaten in his first seven games at the helm.
Preston opened the scoring with some superb link-up play between Barkhuizen and Hugill, with the former stabbing home from six yards for his fifth goal of the season.
Rovers were unlucky to not be level soon after, with Joao firing over the bar before nodding Derrick Williams' cross onto the post, but they equalised before the break when Bennett struck from outside the area.
And after some early pressure from the visitors in the second half, Mowbray's side took the lead as Conway slid Emnes' cross past Chris Maxwell from 12 yards.
Ryan Nyambe went close for the hosts late on before McGeady struck at the death to leave the 6,005 North End fans celebrating an unlikely point.
Line-ups
Blackburn
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Steele
- 24Nyambe
- 26Lenihan
- 14Mulgrew
- 5Williams
- 31BennettSubstituted forMahoneyat 76'minutesBooked at 77mins
- 6Lowe
- 23Guthrie
- 32ConwaySubstituted forFeeneyat 80'minutes
- 17EmnesSubstituted forGallagherat 80'minutes
- 18Lucas João
Substitutes
- 4Hoban
- 7Feeney
- 19Gallagher
- 21Akpan
- 28Mahoney
- 30Brown
- 33Raya
Preston
Formation 4-4-2
- 22Maxwell
- 5Clarke
- 24Boyle
- 23HuntingtonBooked at 87mins
- 3CunninghamBooked at 67mins
- 7HorganSubstituted forRobinsonat 67'minutes
- 11JohnsonSubstituted forGallagherat 75'minutes
- 4Pearson
- 14McGeady
- 29Barkhuizen
- 25HugillSubstituted forMakienokat 77'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Lindegaard
- 8Browne
- 9Makienok
- 10Beckford
- 12Gallagher
- 17Spurr
- 37Robinson
- Referee:
- Stuart Attwell
- Attendance:
- 18,435
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home57%
- Away43%
- Shots
- Home11
- Away15
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away4
- Corners
- Home3
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away10
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Blackburn Rovers 2, Preston North End 2.
Goal!
Goal! Blackburn Rovers 2, Preston North End 2. Aiden McGeady (Preston North End) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Tom Clarke.
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Connor Mahoney (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Callum Robinson (Preston North End).
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Offside, Preston North End. Paul Gallagher tries a through ball, but Paul Huntington is caught offside.
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Charlie Mulgrew (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Aiden McGeady (Preston North End).
Booking
Paul Huntington (Preston North End) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Lucas João (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Paul Huntington (Preston North End).
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Attempt missed. Aiden McGeady (Preston North End) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Ben Pearson.
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Attempt missed. Aiden McGeady (Preston North End) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Tom Barkhuizen.
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Sam Gallagher (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Ben Pearson (Preston North End).
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Attempt saved. Paul Gallagher (Preston North End) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
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Attempt blocked. Greg Cunningham (Preston North End) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Substitution
Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Sam Gallagher replaces Marvin Emnes.
Substitution
Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Liam Feeney replaces Craig Conway.
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Attempt missed. Tom Clarke (Preston North End) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Paul Gallagher following a set piece situation.