A SECOND-HALF fightback ensured North End took away a point from this game.

Unfortunately, unlike previous weeks where Preston have fought back from the brinks of defeat, it was the opposition who hauled themselves back into the game.

North End had done what captain Sean Gregan promised fans they would start doing taking the game by the scruff of the neck and getting the lead.

David Healy partnered upfront by Richard Cresswell with Jon Macken on the bench - opened the scoring on 13 minutes when his 25-yard free kick was deflected into the net.

Healy then set up Cresswells goal just on half time, sending a great throughball into the path of his striking partner.

Cresswell held off Ben Doane to strike the ball past Simon Tracey.

United hit back early in the second half.

Having seen good chances go begging thanks to the likes of Carl Asaba and Paul Peschisolido, David Lucas seemed stunned as the latter sent 30-yard-screamer which North Ends reserve keeper had no chance of hitting.

Cresswell then had a goal disallowed this proved to be the turning point of the game.

Almost immediately, Peschisolido flew down the left wing, freeing up Patrick Suffo. His cross reached the woefully unmarked George Santos who tapped the ball in from all of two yards.

It may have seemed like rough justice for North End, and manager David Moyes admitted: "I am very

disappointed."

But the boss added: We should have got the three points. They came back at us last year and won from two goals down, but we are a better side this year and we have better players and we shouldn't have let them back into the game.

"The problem was conceding a goal in the first five minutes after the restart.

"It allowed United to play the game they wanted to. They made us defend, got a number of crosses in and got a couple of ricochets.

"There were a lot of reasons for the bad start that we had this season, but you have to remember that Birmingham came here two weeks ago and got beaten 4-0 and so to play the way we did in the first half was very pleasing."

SHEFFIELD UNITED... 2 PNE... 2