North End 1, Stockport 1

Saturday, September 16 at Deepdale

Preston North End (1) 1

McKenna 14

Stockport County (1) 1

Moore 2. Moore sent off 86.

PRESTON North End paraded their new American international striker Brian McBride in place of top scorer John Macken who missed the match through injury.

Stockport got off to a flyer with a goal in the opening minutes as Preston failed to clear a cross into the box and Iain Moore had the ball beyond David Lucas in a flash.

North End almost conceded in the opening 15 seconds when Colin Murdock' s back pass to Lucas lacked pace and Maxwell was sent clear on goal but the Preston 'keeper made a very brave save to keep him out.

Preston battled back and deservedly got level on 15 minutes when Michael Appleton's shot from a difficult angle rattled the underside of the cross bar and bounced out to Paul McKenna who hit the back of the net from 16 yards.

Steve Basham went close to giving North End the lead with a header from Rankine 's diagonal cross and moments later he cut inside from the left to drill a daisy-cutter only inches wide.

Preston brought the game to Stockport in the second half but County's well-organised defence was magnificently marshalled by Mike Flynn, the former Preston skipper, who was taking part in his 500th league game.

Preston brought on David Eyres for Steve Basham and immediately Eyres was sent clear by McBride but he chose to have a shot at goal when he had the opportunity to take the ball on and an excellent chance went begging.

David Lucas came to North End's rescue when County struck on the break and Moore hit in a thunderous shot which was destined for the bottom left hand corner of the net until Lucas made a save at full stretch which was sheer quality.

With six minutes remaining Moore clashed with Lucas in the six yard box and was booked by the referee and immediately ordered off. Lucas failed to recover and had to be assisted from the field to be replaced by North End's assistant manager Kelham O'Hanlon for the remainder of the match.

Preston threw everyone forward in search of a winner and Colin Murdock looked to have got it but his close range shot took a wicked deflection for a corner.

In the time added on for stoppages Brian McBride almost crowned his debut with a goal but again the excellent Mike Flynn deflected it wide of the post.

County were worthy of a point as they soaked up a lot of pressure and made a series of counter attacks.

North End now have a goalkeeper crisis having already had Tepi Moilanen sidelined with a back injury and with Lucas also injured it could be that O'Hanlon will be required to take over the goalkeeper's jersey for the midweek league cup clash against the Pemiership's='s Coventry City.

After the match Preston boss David Moyes said that it was not one of North End's better performances but that he was happy to take a point from the match.

New striker McBride said that he enjoyed his debut and that he found the game a lot faster than he was used to. He thought the physical side of the game was greater than in the USA but that it was fair.

Teams:

Preston: Lucas, Alexander, Edwards, Murdock, McKenna, Gregan (cap), Appleton , Basham, McBride, Cartwright, Rankine. Subs: O'Hanlon Jackson, Eyres, Robinson, Parkinson.

Stockport: Jones, Flynn (cap), Clark, Cooper, Moore, Maxwell, Woodthorpe, Gibb, Dinning, Smith, Clare. Subs: Dibble, Carrigan, Lawson, Matthews, Hancock.