IF there is one thing referee Michael Jones doesn't do, it's play to the crowd.

If there is one thing he should never be allowed to do again, it's referee a professional football match.

Even mild-mannered Preston boss Craig Brown struggled to keep it zipped when quizzed by the Press pack after the game.

Corners given as goal kicks, freekicks awarded against the side fouled, goals given off-side, off-sides which never were - you name it, Mr Jones and his black-clad team fouled up wherever possible.

There were more than 30 fouls conceded during the game - and this was never a one-every-three minutes game.

"I don't want to get in trouble with the FA," smiled Brown knowingly. 'Nuff said.

He, in turn, aimed fire for his own troops, claiming that their average performance was to blame for the result - a result which very nearly was a shock defeat.

Against the run of play, Preston opened the scoring on 27 minutes. Winger Eddie Lewis managed to wriggle free from the prison created by Andrew Whing and David Pipe to put a cross into Richard Cresswell, who glanced home from nine yards.

Simon Lynch would have made it two had his goal not been ruled by Mr Jones, who initally gave the goal then looked to his linesman -twice as far away - before deciding it didn't count.

Coventry's youth came to the fore in the second half, with Craig Pead getting two goals.

His first came on 52 minutes when Jay Bothroyd put in a deadly accurate cross to David Pipe, who passed to Pead for the opener.

It was Bothroyd 10 minutes later who put the ball in to the net, forcing home a second.

Preston had their chances too in the second half. Chris Lucketti had a header go inches wide, while Richard Cresswell was a constant threat.

But it was substitute Pawel Abbott who snatched a point for Preston when he hit a left-foot shot past Coventry's keeper.

Yes, that's right, his left foot. The one he had spent all day practising with the day before.

PRESTON 2 COVENTRY 2