Preston 1 Aston Villa 1 - Report and pictures

The on loan Chelsea striker put Dean Smith's men ahead on the stroke of half-time, heading home Glenn Whelan's corner.

But the hosts grabbed a deserved leveller when Ahmed Elmohmady put Daniel Johnson's cross into his own net.

Preston, who had seen Jordan Storey hit the bar in the second minute, then hit the post through Tom Barkhuizen.

Analysis

Villa also had their chances in the closing minutes, substitute Birkir Bjanason putting over from close range.

But a winner would have been harsh on the hosts, who were the better team for long periods at Deepdale.

Villa had to withstand a barrage of long balls and at times in the second half were clinging on.

With promotion rivals dropping points, this result on the surface might seem something of a missed opportunity.

Yet on the balance of the play, the point was all Smith's men deserved and did at least move them a step closer to the top six.

With Jack Grealish and Neil Taylor still absent through injury, Smith named an unchanged XI from the one which won at Swansea.

Goalkeeper Orjan Nyland had been the hero in south Wales, saving Wilfried Bony's 90th minute penalty to preserve the victory.

But here he was almost the villain in the second minute, coming for but failing to collect a Paul Gallagher corner, with Storey volleying the ball off the bar.

Villa continued to look wobbly and were caught out again a minute later by a long ball which sent Barkhuizen through on goal.

But the winger seemed to rush his attempt and an attempted lob of Nyland drifted well wide of the target.

Having weathered the initial storm, Villa went close themselves when James Chester's header, from a Whelan corner, was hacked off the line.

It was the hosts though, who continued to look threatening, with their tactic of hitting the ball long giving Villa's central defensive duo of Chester and James Bree plenty to think about.

Just past the half-hour mark, the visitors were left indebted to Nyland for keeping them level, the Norwegian international pulling off a superb reaction save to keep out Graham Burke's first-time volley, from a Paul Gallagher long ball.

Villa were struggling to find much rhythm in attack and when they did get openings, were wasteful. Anwar El Ghazi was the most notable culprit, shooting high and wide after breaking into the box, with Abraham well placed in the middle.

Yet right on the stroke of half-time, Villa delivered the sucker punch. Bolasie won a corner and when Glenn Whelan delivered from the left, Abraham was left unmarked to head beyond Declan Rudd and into the net.

It was the perfect time to score, though Preston almost found a leveller in the first 30 seconds of the second half.

Lukas Nmecha was played in behind the Villa defence and Nyland was, just about, able to make the save with his legs.

The next big chance came for Villa, McGinn missing the opportunity to double the advantage when he headed El Ghazi's inviting cross over the bar.

It proved a pivotal moment as Preston continued to carve out chances.

Villa got a huge let-off when Hutton hacked Barkhuizen's looping header off the line with Nyland beaten.

But the leveller was beginning to look inevitable and duly arrived when Johnson, who just moments earlier fortunate to avoid a second booking for a foul on McGinn, sent in a cross which Elmohamady put through his own net unde pressure from Lukas Nmecha.

Their tails up, Preston continued to push and only fine defending by Bree prevented Nmecha a clear sight of goal.

Again it was the long ball causing Villa problems and when Barkhuizen latched on to the next one and rounded Nyland, it was the post which came to the visiting team's rescue as the winger's attempt from a tight angle clattered off the near upright.

Villa survived and as the game entered the final 15 minutes, finally began exerting some sustained pressure of their own.

El Ghazi brought a save from Rudd with a long-range effort and sent another wide, while Albert Adomah saw a goal-bound effort blocked.

The best fell chance fell to Bjarnason when Ahmed Elmohamady's cross was missed by the defence. But he put over from close range, while a stoppage time shot was also saved by Rudd as the spoils were shared.

Key Moments

45 - GOAL Villa have been second best in the first-half but take the lead moments before the interval, Tammy Abraham heading home Glenn Whelan's corner.

61 - GOAL Preston level when Daniel Johnson crosses low and Ahmed Elmohamady puts through his own net.

Teams

Preston (4-2-3-1): Rudd, Clarke (c) (Fisher 75), Huntington, Storey, Hughes, Gallagher (Walker 90+2), Johnson, Burke (O'Reilly 89), Ledson, Barkhuizen, Nmecha Subs not used: Woods, Simpson, Baxter, Crowe (gk).

Villa (4-3-3): Nyland, Elmohamady, Bree, Chester, Hutton, McGinn, Whelan (Bjarnason 75), Hourihane, El Ghazi, Abraham, Bolasie (Adomah 68) Subs not used: Revan, Hogan, Davis, Kodjia, Bunn (gk).