Town were foiled in their attempt to grab all three points as 10-man Preston succeeded in securing a 1-1 draw. The visitors went ahead through Ross Wallace but had Callum Davidson sent off for handball just before the break, Jon Walters having his resultant penalty saved but following up to net the rebound.

The Blues lined up with Richard Wright in goal and Alex Bruce at right-back, the skipper perhaps kept away from the centre of the defence after having been given a hard time by Preston striker Jon Parkin at Deepdale last season.

Gareth McAuley returned to the side after a two-game absence alongside Pim Balkestein, with Jack Colback and Liam Trotter in the central midfield roles and Lee Martin on the left and Jon Walters on the right.

Pablo Couñago and Tamás Priskin continued up front with there being no place on the bench for David Wright, fuelling terrace rumours of Reading interest in the former Wigan man.

Town should have been behind in the second minute when Pim Balkestein completely misjudged a ball over the top, allowing Parkin a free run in on goal. The beefy striker seem sure to score, but Richard Wright blocked his effort.

On six, Jon Walters got his name in the referee’s book for remonstrating with Ross Wallace, who was also cautioned, after the Preston man had fouled Priskin. Two minutes later, Callum Davidson was also yellow-carded by referee Paul Taylor.

Aside from the early chance, it had been all Town with the Blues looking a more confident side than at any point so far this season with Couñago prominent.

However, as so often, it was the visitors who went ahead in the 12th minute. No one managed to get a tackle in on Wallace, sold to Preston by Roy Keane when he was at Sunderland, and the Scot twisted and turned before hitting a shot across Wright and into the net off the post.

It was a poor goal to concede and was more than the Lilywhites deserved on the balance of the early play. The Blues’ performance drifted for a spell after the goal, McAuley making a fine saving challenge on Parkin, the striker having reached a ball played over the top.

Liam Chilvers headed a Priskin-bound Walters cross over the bar in the 29th minute with the game again being largely played inside the Preston half.

On 36 a Martin freekick came to nothing, but the Preston defence somehow managed to gift a chance to Couñago inside the area, but the impressive Andy Lonergan reacted quickly to make a fine save. From Martin’s subsequent corner, his first which had got beyond the first defender, Priskin’s effort was blocked on the line by Richard Chaplow.

Walters shot just wide from a Couñago lay-off, then at the other end Wallace hit a 30-yard strike which was too close to Wright.

Three minutes before the break, the Blues got back on terms. Colback looped the ball back into the box after a set piece had been half-cleared. Lonergan punched weakly, Trotter shot and Davidson blocked with his hand. Referee Taylor missed the incident but his assistant was in little doubt. The penalty was awarded, a red card shown and after some discussion Davidson trooped off.

Tamás Priskin missed from the spot at Peterborough, so Jon Walters took the responsibility but saw his kick saved, however, he was first to the rebound to put the Blues on terms.

Town were worthy of the goal and if anything the 1-1 scoreline flattered the visitors at the break. It had probably been the Blues’ best 45 minutes of the season, although there were still one or two frailties at the back and chances had been rare.

Roy Keane’s side started the second half slower than they had finished the first. However, on 51 the Blues came close to going in front when Priskin’s header from Martin’s corner was cleared off the line.

The visitors subsequently broke after Smith had been dispossessed by Chaplow on halfway. The former Burnley man made it to the edge of the Town area, turned inside Bruce but saw his pass cut out by the on-rushing Colback, who slammed the ball narrowly over his own bar.

Brown flicked a header wide for the Lilywhites on 58 as the Blues struggled to make their numerical superiority tell. Just before the half hour, the tiring Couñago was replaced, along with Priskin and Martin, Connor Wickham, Jon Stead and Alan Quinn taking over.

Wickham hit a shot to the keeper, then the 16-year-old and Stead got in one another’s way as they went to head a Walters cross at the far post, prior to the England U17 international nodding a Quinn cross wide.

The youngster had his best chance of putting the Blues in front in the 73rd minute when Trotter sent him away one-on-one with Lonergan. Wickham’s heavy first touch meant his second touch took him too wide and the opportunity was gone.

Three minutes later, Wallace’s shot deflected into the sidenetting following another Chaplow break, the source of most of Preston’s forays forward in the second half. But in the main the visitors were happy to sit back and frustrate the Blues.

With 11 minutes remaining, Wickham played the ball into the Quinn’s path as the midfielder broke into the area, but the Irishman failed to control when in a very promising position. Tommy Smith was bizarrely booked in the aftermath as referee Taylor somehow adjudged that he had fouled Chaplow when he had been nowhere near the Preston man when he slipped over.

Sean St Ledger was finally replaced in the 80th minute after several lengthy spells of treatment on the pitch, much to the annoyance of the frustrated Portman Road crowd.

The Blues continued to huff and puff but couldn’t create the clearcut opening they needed to take all three points. Trotter headed to the keeper, then as the game entered five minutes of injury time McAuley headed Quinn’s corner on to the roof of the net.

Certainly a better display from the Blues, although still a frustrating afternoon with Roy Keane’s men unable to break down a determined and solid Preston backline, despite their reduced numbers. The visitors were worthy of their point for their effective rearguard action.

Town were better in the first half against the full complement of Lilywhites with Couñago probably stand-out performer. After the break, the Blues generally lacked the final ball. When the chances came, Wickham was let down by his first touch and Quinn failed to make contact with the ball when he should have been one-on-one with the keeper.

The Town defence still had their moments and the midfield could have been more creative, although Jack Colback continued to impress with a confident and whole-hearted display in what was his first league start.

Overall, signs of improvement, but more evidence of why Roy Keane still wants to add to his squad and still no first league win of the season.

Town: R Wright, Bruce, Smith, McAuley, Balkestein, Trotter, Colback, Walters, Martin (Quinn 59), Couñago (Wickham 59), Priskin (Stead 59). Unused: Lee-Barrett, Healy, Ainsley, Delaney. Att: 19,454.

Photo: Action Images

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