LEE Cartwright must be one of the few players who didn't enjoy his testimonial match.
The right winger was rewarded after 12 years service at Deepdale with a game against Premier side Middlesbrough last night.
But Rossendale lad Cartwright wasn't too enamoured by all the attention during the 1-1 draw.
"I did not really enjoy it, I was just so nervous," said the quiet 28-year-old. "I have never been so nervous in my life.
"But it was a great honour to be involved in a game like this.
"I didn't feel so bad when I walked out with my little lad, it was just everything else. I felt everything was focussing on me."
The two sides made a guard of honour for Cartwright and he walked through this with his three-year-old son Rowan.
And, while Ryan Giggs down the road was earning a million pounds with Manchester United's game with Celtic, the winger was grateful more than 4000 fans turned out for the friendly.
"It is really going to help my family," he said which also includes six months old twin girls.
The game itself was keenly contested and North End striker Richard Cresswell, now full-time at Deepdale after a loan spell last season, looked sharp up front alongside Jon Macken, who has been the subject of a £4m bid from Wolves.
And these two combined to put Preston ahead of a side which included England defender Gareth Southgate, Paul Ince and Hamilton Ricard.
Paul McKenna found Macken on the right in the 21st minute, and he fired the ball across the area, with Cresswell tapping it home from 10 yards out.
But ten minutes later it was all level when a hopeful ball from the Boro defence bounced for Noel Whelan, who had lost Cartwright -- who was playing in a wing back position -- for a moment.
Whelan beat the off-side trap and shot past David Lucas.
North End introduced left winger trialist Jean Louis Valois after the break and he looked lively and Michael Keane also came on with the 18-year-old hardman giving the Boro players a tough time in midfield.
But while the biggest cheer was for Carts, the biggest boo was for former Burnley goalkeeper Marlon Beresford.
He came on in the second half and the one-time Claret wasn't given a warm Deepdale reception!
There wasn't many chances after that but the game did end rather sourly when Ince and Preston skipper Sean Gregan squared up to each other in the centre circle.
The referee blew his whistle straight after to defuse the situation.
Manager David Moyes said it was an incident not worth commenting on while Boro's first team coach Steve Harrison, a former coach at Deepdale, said: "Incey was just getting all his frustration out of his way before the season started!
"That though is just the nature of both Gregan and Ince. Something and nothing."
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