Jordan Hugill rescues point for Preston
An 89th-minute strike from Jordan Hugill helped Preston earn a well-deserved point in a 1-1 draw with Ipswich
Tom Lawrence grabbed his sixth goal in his last six games after quarter of an hour to give the Tractor Boys the lead.
And it was one they held on to until a minute from the end when Hugill chested down a cross from substitute Daryl Horgan before smashing clinically past visiting goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski.
The point now means Preston have lost just once in their last nine Sky Bet Championship games.
Leicester loanee Lawrence opened the scoring at Deepdale in spectacular fashion, turning North End defender Marnick Vermijl inside and out before crashing a curling effort across goalkeeper Chris Maxwell and into the top corner.
With their tails up Ipswich almost doubled their lead minutes later when Freddie Sears drove in a powerful shot which Maxwell saved at the second attempt.
As the interval approached, Preston began to look more dangerous and Hugill and Paul Gallagher both went close.
Wideman Aiden McGeady then cut menacingly through the Ipswich defence before curling a shot narrowly over the crossbar.
The visitors replied with Sears producing more expert work, clipping the ball cheekily over defender Paul Huntington before seeing a shot saved by the legs of Maxwell.
It was almost 1-1 in the 45th minute, but Ben Pearson's goal-bound shot was deflected wide by team-mate Hugill.
Preston fluffed a great chance to level three minutes after the restart
Callum Robinson was in plenty of space as he met Gallagher's measured pass, but he fired straight at Bialkowski.
McGeady then went on a mazy run, before shooting disappointingly over the crossbar from the edge of the box.
Ipswich rallied somewhat as the final 20 minutes approached, and striker Brett Pitman probably ought to have done better when he lashed a shot well over the angle of post and bar from just inside the box.
The same player wasted another presentable opportunity a minute later when he drilled over the top from 10 yards.
Back came Preston and McGeady must have thought he had scored, only to see his well-struck shot palmed away brilliantly by Bialkowski.
Just before Hugill's late equaliser, Preston substitute Jermaine Beckford was denied by a breath-taking point-blank stop from Bialkowski, but the home side got the draw their endeavour deserved.
Source : DSG
Source: DSG