PRESTON North End FC's army of supporters battled through torrential rain to take on Wrexham - inspired by the excellent midweek performance against Tottenham Hotspur.

Still ravaged with injury problems, North End brought the match to Wrexham in the early stages.

Dean Barrick linked well with Rankine on the left and Barrick's searching cross picked out Andy Saville at the far post, only for the header to drift a foot wide of the post.

Play swung from end to end in exciting fashion and both defences had to work hard to keep the scoresheet blank.

Simon Davey, the Preston Skipper, thought he had put Preston one-up right on the half-time whistle, when his slick back header was going into the top corner of the net until Andy Marriott clawed the ball around the upright.

Preston opened strongly in the second half, urged on by their noisy supporters, and crosses from both wings had Wrexham in a panic.

Torrential rain engulfed the pitch and with it came a killer strike by Wrexham.

Wayne Phillips moved forward as Preston defenders retreated, he looked up and unleashed a crashing 30-yard drive that left Bobby Mimms clutching fresh air as the net bulged.

Preston hit back and in the time added on for stoppages, Kilbane's header was dropping into the net until Russell got his head to the ball to clear under the crossbar.

So Preston have now lost all four away league fixtures and, obviously, something has to be done to put matters right.

But just as at Notts County and Plymouth, Preston deserved some return from this match and they are not getting any of the luck on offer.

Preston will turn the results round, the players are trying hard, giving everything that they have got.

A good, solid, resounding win is required to put matters right.

North End now need an encouraging turn out of support for the clash with high-flying Millwall at Deepdale next Saturday - and what better time to start the climb up the table than against the London outfit.

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