Preston 1 Wolves 1 – Report and pictures

Preston took the lead shortly after half time through Alan Browne's header but were soon reduced to 10 men when John Welsh picked up his second booking.

Wolves almost immediately restored parity when Helder Costa lashed home but failed to create many more chances despite their man advantage, with substitute Benik Afobe wasting their best when his shot was blocked by keeper Declan Rudd.

Analysis

If Wolves are to reach the Promised Land™ this season, they won't miss games like this.

Blood and thunder, muck and nettles, call it what you like – this was about as typical a Championship encounter as you could find, writes Tim Spiers at Deepdale.

In fact it was reminiscent of a recent Wolves visits to this traditional old ground. In 2015 they launched wave after wave of attacks at the Preston goal in the second half after the hosts had been reduced to 10 men (and then nine men) but all they had to show for their efforts was a 1-1 draw.

On this occasion it wasn't quite the Alamo, but it was certainly one-way traffic after John Welsh had been sent off on the hour mark.

When Helder Costa equalised just two minutes later you suspected it was the start of an avalanche of attacks. However Preston are made of sterner stuff these days and a team that had lost only once in 15 matches extended that to one in 16, to Wolves' great frustration.

Benik Afobe and Leo Bonatini were called for, but to no avail. That little bit of magic, or that piercing final ball, or that perfect long range shot, was lacking.

On what was a really tough afternoon, a point was a fair result. Wolves didn't do enough to win it – and without Welsh's red card, they may have lost it.

More tests like this lie ahead, with visits to Fulham, Villa and Cardiff all on the horizon. If Wolves avoid defeat there too, they'll have surely done enough to get over the line.

Match report

Nuno named the same team for the fourth game in a row, meaning the fit-again Romain Saiss and Leo Bonatini had to settle for places a strong bench that also included Benik Afobe.

Wolves were given a game and a half by Preston back in October when they edged a feisty encounter 3-2 and there was again little to separate the sides during a full-blooded first half at Deepdale.

A bobbly pitch didn't help Wolves in terms of their free-flowing passing game but other than a few half chances they rarely threatened to exert their authority.

Diogo Jota and Ivan Cavaleiro looked the most likely to conjure some magic in and around the box but often found an organised a resolute defence in their way.

Most attempts were either snuffed out or blocked. Indeed keeper Declan Rudd didn't have a save to make and Wolves' first shot of any note didn't arrive until the 23rd minute.

Ruben Neves went closest with what would have been a bona fide goal of the season contender – he unleashed a 25-yard thunderbolt on the half volley that would have broken the crossbar had it been a yard lower.

Cavaleiro's cross to N'Diaye in the six-yard box was crucially cut out, while Jota worked room for two goalbound blocked shots.

At the other end John Ruddy's work was restricted to pawing away deep crosses with a mini Preston aerial bombardment finding Wolves at their most uncomfortable.

Ben Davies headed a Callum Robinson corner wide from a good position with what was the best chance of the half, but otherwise Wolves' rigid backline allowed little room for manoeuvre for the hosts, who coming into the game had only lost one in 15.

Defences were on top and there was no quarter given in midfield with a number of tasty challenges in what could be termed a typical half of Championship football.

So often this season Wolves have come flying out the traps after the break following a below par first half – but the opposite was true here.

In the first 10 minutes of the half Preston hit a post through Alan Browne, whistled one just over the bar through Darnell Fisher – and then took the lead through Browne, who got on the end of Robinson's floated corner to the back stick where he sent a free header past Ruddy.

It was a deserved lead for the hosts – but just seven minutes later they gifted Wolves a way back into the game.

John Welsh, who had crunched through Jota shortly before half time with a late and crude challenge, pegged back Cavaleiro as the forward tried to break and was duly handed a deserved second booking.

Immediately the pendulum swung Wolves' way and it only took them three minutes to level things up. Cavaleiro, who had set up both goals in last week's win over QPR, was at it again when he brilliantly teed up Costa for his second goal in two weeks, an emphatic right-footed finish from 10 yards as Wolves stormed into the box.

Benik Afobe was immediately sent into the fray for N'Diaye as Nuno went for the kill.

The game became attack versus defence, reminiscent of a Wolves visit here in 2015 when Preston were reduced to nine men.

Wolves constantly tried to get in down the sides of the penalty area but found seven or eight defenders standing in their way.

Crosses were blocked, passes were overhit and long-range shots sailed over as Wolves not-so-patiently tried to work a winning goal.

Romain Saiss replaced Costa as Nuno reverted back to his traditional 3-4-3 system (it had been a bit of a free-for-all with so many attackers on the field) but little changed. In fact they only created one meaningful chance of note – Doherty fed Afobe who was in a great position but keeper Rudd came out to block his shot.

And that was pretty much that as Wolves had to settle for a point.

Key moments

49 – Alan Browne's 15-yard shot cannons off the post.

52 – GOAL – Callum Robinson floats a corner to the back post where ALAN BROWNE heads home from close range.

59 – RED CARD – John Welsh catches Ivan Cavaleiro as the Wolves man looks to break and is shown his second yellow card.

62 – GOAL – Ivan Cavaleiro feeds HELDER COSTA who emphatically beats Rudd right-footed from 10 yards.

Teams

Preston (4-2-3-1): Rudd; Fisher, Davies, Huntington (c), Earl; Welsh, Johnson (Harrop, 88); Bodin, Browne, Barkhuizen (Moult, 88); Robinson (Horgan, 70). Subs: Maxwell, Woods, Spurr, O'Reilly.

Goals: Browne (52)

Red cards: Welsh (59)

Wolves (3-4-3): John Ruddy; Bennett, Coady (c), Boly; Doherty, Neves, N'Diaye (Afobe, 62), Douglas; Costa (Saiss, 81), Jota, Cavaleiro (Bonatini, 88). Subs: Norris, Batth, Miranda, Saiss, Gibbs-White.

Goals: Costa (62)

Attendance: 18,570 (5,626 Wolves fans)

Referee: Robert Jones

League position

1st (72 points from 32 matches)