PNE 0 Gillingham 0

THE NERVE ends were jangling as old rivals North End and Gillingham were left to share the points in a match which amazingly failed to produce a goal.

Preston started and finished the match in sixth place in the division and they stay nicely on course for the play-offs but had it not been for the excellent Vince Bartram in the Gillingham goal North End could have taken all three points.

With the Town End demolished, Preston kicked off into the Bill Shankly Kop and should have gone in front inside five minutes.

Adrian Pennock who was to later to have a fine match at the heart of the Gillingham defence, slipped on the edge of the box to let in Preston striker Richard Cresswell with only Bartram to beat.

The North End fans roared their man on, Bartram came from his goal to try to close down Cresswell, back came the right boot to make perfect contact but Bartram spead his big frame to make the first of several fine saves.

Gillingham could hardly get out of their own half in the opening quarter of an hour, but then they settled down and had a great chance to go in front when Iffy Onoura was sent clear on goal but Tepi Moilanen made a fine save to keep the scores level.

There was an anxious moment for Preston when they were caught at the back, Onoura chased the ball into the box and went sprawling under a challenge from Moilanen and all eyes looked to the referee.

Uriah Rennie took a long look at the incident and to the sheer relief of the Preston fans he waved play on as Gillingham screamed for a penalty.

Dvaid Creswell went close to opening the scoring early in the second half when the Gillingham defence got into a tangle in dealing with Lee Cartwright's's cross, the ball dropped to Cresswell with his back to goal but his back heeled effort was cleared off the line by Pennock.

Preston brought on David Healy for Cresswell and they brought the game to Gillingham without really hitting top form.

Paul McKenna had two good efforts which went narrowly wide and then came the moment that prevented North End clinching the points.

The ball was played out to Rob Edwards on the left, all of forty yards from goal and with the outside of his left boot he sent a powerhouse of a drive crashing high towards the top corner of the net.

It looked a certain goal as Vince Bartarm looked to be flat footed on the line.

Then, in a majestic leap he took off after the ball. He went upwards and backwards, a white gloved hand reached for the ball as it was cruising into the top of the net and with a final touch to the ball he did enough to adjust the flight of the ball and turn it around the post.

Even the Preston supporters applauded that save and it proved to be a life saver for Gillingham.

Jon Macken went agonisingly close to scoring with a volley across goal in the closing moments but that goal just wouldn't come.

Preston now take their promotion challenge to Burnley at Turf Moor on Friday night for a Lancashire hot-pot of a match and after the Clarets were crushed 5-0 by local rivals Blackburn on Sunday, then North End will fancy their chances of taking the points.

Every match now is a cliffhanger as the play-offs get ever nearer, Preston are well placed to finish in the top six, they just now need to hold their nerve.

Preston boss David Moyes said: "I thought the result was fair on the day, we didn't play to our best but it's a point won rather than two lost."

On taking off Richard Creswell he said: He wasn't feeling well so we thought we would give him a little while in the second half to see how it went on."