Preston 1 West Brom 1: Super-sub rescues point as worrying Albion trend goes on
Albion were unable to break down the Championship’s bottom side at Deepdale.
West Brom were held by basement boys Preston as the visitors once again had to come from behind to salvage their point.
James Morrison’s men struggled to unlock the Championship basement boys at Deepdale and things worsened 12 minutes from time as home skipper Andrew Hughes edged PNE ahead in the heaving rain.
But substitute Aune Heggebo rescued his side a point with an equaliser four minutes later. It was the eighth time in 12 league games the Baggies have fallen behind this season.
It was also the sixth occasion on the spin for Morrison’s fifth-placed side - a habit the head coach will be desperate to see ended.
Albion played some nice football in the first period but lacked a cutting edge in the opposition’s penalty area. Changes on the hour including Heggebo appeared to help but Preston looked like punishing the hosts from a corner through Hughes.
Heggebo continued his good form as super sub with the Wrexham winner and match-winning assist for Felix Horn Myhre the previous weekend. The Norwegian smashed home to save his side’s blushes on an otherwise day of misfiring in torrential conditions. PNE endured a club-record 27th game without a clean sheet.
It quickly developed into a contest where Morrison’s men would see a lot of the ball - though Preston frontman Johnny Kenny had the first effort, a pot-shot from range comfortably gathered by Max O’Leary despite the greasy conditions.
The visitors responded well and looked dangerous as they moved it well. Horn Myhre showed neat touches and a smart backheel fell for frontman Barney Stewart, who was smothered. Ousmane Diakite’s towering header from the corner was just cleared.
Albion were the brighter but Graham Alexander’s strugglers carried a threat as Leo Leroy shot just wide across goal from angle.
The visitors lacked a telling final ball and as such PNE were encouraged. A misjudgement from skipper George Campbell allowed Kenny a sighter, but Campbell recovered with a fine block.
Some of the Baggies’ approach play was a lovely watch and a neat move involving Callum Styles and Horn Myhre down a silky left flank fed Isaac Price, whose angled strike was beaten away by Daniel Iversen.
Albion cranked it up with some more flowing play on that left side a Styles and Jayson Molumby had shots blocked seconds apart and Diakite fired over from range.
The visitors’ threat continued to grow as the half developed. Harry Whitwell struggled but Albion were otherwise sharp and worked several good situations from flowing moves. Price turned a tough diving header wide from Molumby’s inviting cross.
Morrison opted against half-time changes but his side were almost behind 40 seconds after the restart as O’Leary stood firm to keep out Delano Burgzorg from a fine Kenny pass. It was the clearest opening to that point.
Kenny tested O’Leary moments later at the near post with a fierce drive and the hosts on top.
Morrison’s men were on the ropes as Whitwell lost it again and Stan Mills’ fine low cross picked out Burgzorg, but the Dutchman could not convert on the slide.
The Baggies boss rang the changes on the hour after a no-show start to the second period with Jimmy-Jay Morgan and Heggebo introduced.
The switched perked up the visitors as Heggebo and compatriot Horn Myhre combined for the former to fire wide of the foot of the left post.
Albion had lost some of the first-half fluency but asked questions. Morgan won a good header down and Horn Myhre stabbed at goal, only for Iversen to stand strong. The Norwegian thought he was offside, but no flag came.
The visitors were punished for offering hope to their hosts. Diakite’s poor pass was picked off a low cross turned behind. Leroy’s corner was low but went uncleared through bodies, to skipper Hughes who turned into the right corner.
It was as sloppy a goal to concede as any and added to Baggies set-piece woe - and an Achilles heel of falling behind.
But there were powers of recovery once again. Styles led a charge from left-back and a neat pass fed Price in the box, to the left, one-on-one with Iversen.
The Dane made a fine save on to the far post, but there was Heggebo to lash home the rebound.
Albion were fortunate as pleads for a home penalty fell on deaf ears and referee Elliot Bell waved away complaints of Diakite’s kung-fu style high kick. Moments later sub Rabby Nzingoula wasted a fine chance on the break from Morgan.
A draw was about the right result on another day Albion rued shipping the first goal and lacked composure in the final third.
Preston (3-5-2): Iversen; Offiah, Storey, Hughes (c); Mills, Potts (Lang, 70), Leroy, Devine (Moran, 45), Vukcevic; Burgzorg, Kenny (Erabi, 70).
Subs not used: Nicholls (gk), Valentin, Small, Wiley, Nolan, Irwin.
Albion (4-4-1-1): O’Leary; Pereira, Mepham, Campbell (c), Styles; Whitwell (Morgan, 60), Molumby, Diakite (Nzingoula, 88), Price; Horn Myhre (Tunde, 85); Stewart (Heggebo, 60).
Subs not used: Ingram (gk), Townsend, Phillips, Crowther, Bany.
Referee: Elliot Bell