CRAIG Brown was left with no choice but to apologise to the travelling North End fans after he watched his side fight for a point at the Bescot Stadium.

He used the word 'lucky' to describe the two second half goals - both in the last 15 minutes - which ensured the phrase 'draw specialist' continues to haunt the Lilywhites like a bad smell.

While a point is better than nothing at all, Preston had the chance to do so much better following the 30th minute sending off of Walsall's keeper James Walker.

He rushed out of his area and saved a ball Richard Cresswell had broken forward with. Both hands, outside the area - ref Phil Joslin had no choice but to send him off.

But by this time, Preston were already two goals down.

Jorge Leitao opened the scoring on 20 minutes when he forced home Brazilian Junior's shot at the near post.

Six minutes later and Leitao returned the favour, laying-off to Junior, who unleashed a 25-yarder which nestled in the top corner.

Surprisingly, it was Junior who was substituted as deputy keeper Gavin Ward was sent on for the departing Walker.

The two departures seemed to wake Preston up. David Healy had a shot saved before pulling a goal back when he headed in a Mark Rankine knock-down.

North End should have charged forward, got a second and gone on to win the game.

Instead, it was the 10-man Saddlers who were steaming ahead. Steve Corica had his shot charged away by Chris Lucketti before Eric Skora conceded a penalty for his clumsy handling of Zigor Aranalde's cross.

Aranalde scored, despite Tepi getting a hand to it.

The second-half only proved fruitful in the last quarter-hour.

On 75 minutes, Lucketti crashed home Skora's corner before Alexander swept the ball home on 88 minutes, just moments after Cresswell saw his well-placed header saved.

Brown said: "We were fortunate. I would like to apologise to fans for the first half, we were awful, it was the worst we have played all season."