A combination of top drawer goalkeeping and striking misfortune was enough to ensure a frantic Deepdale encounter ended all square.

Though neither side will have been thoroughly content with the point, both will have been relieved not to have lost a game which could have gone either way in a game that contained more than its fair share of heartstopping moments.

As it was, Andy Carroll's first PNE goal and a second half leveller from DJ Campbell were enough to decide the outcome at an increasingly chilly Deepdale.

The first chance of a disjointed opening landed at the prodigious feet of Matty Fryatt, who wasted no time in testing the opposing goalkeeper with a fierce drive that Lonergan did well to tip over the top.

In a similar vein to North End's early attacking forays at Oakwell on Saturday, the ball spent a lot of time in a position in and around the Leicester box, but that didn't necessarily yield the openings that the Lilywhites were keen to create. A fierce Chris Sedgwick delivery from the right was destined to cause trouble but it took a spectacular diving header from Richard Stearman to cut out the danger.

It turned out to be a set piece that yielded the first notable effort on goal - and what a notable effort it turned out to be. Kevin Nicholls was the provider with a dead ball from the left side touchline, adjacent with the edge of the penalty area, and his ball was inch perfect - finding the head of Andy Carroll who turned in his first PNE goal off the inside of the far post.

A delightful through ball from Simon Whaley nearly brought about an opening that could have yielded a second goal and a very strong platform to build on, but Brett Ormerod couldn't quite place a firm toe on the end of McKenna's excitement-generating ball across the centre of the box.

A succession of set pieces followed, with Youl Mawene twice denied after delightful moves. The first saw him fail to make a firm connection when teed up by a delightful Sean St Ledger header after a routine instigated by Nicholls, and the second time he came considerably closer with a commanding header well saved by Marton Fulop down low to his right.

Fireworks greeted the next foray forward, and it came close to sparking a North End second. Whaley again caused torment down the left and it was only a solid block from skipper Gareth McAuley that prevented McKenna from rocketing his shot at goal after being slipped through.

Leicester's attacking surges were few and far between, but the continually impressive St Ledger stood firm when called upon with the half ticking away. James Chambers' through ball was weighted nicely into the path of another of the division's form players, Collins John, but Ledg was strong as the on loan Fulham man tried to fire a powerful shot through his legs.

John was again the man causing bother with a follow up shot moments later, but Lonergan took heed from Ledg's example and produced firm hands when required.

The home fans demanded a penalty for Patrick Kisnorbo's alleged hold on Ormerod inside the box as the half moved into its final minute, but the referee opted not to spoil the Australian defender's night as he celebrated his 100th appearance for the Foxes.

The final five minutes proved to be the most frantic of the half, with injury time only failing to produce a Foxes equaliser thanks to the brilliance of Andy Lonergan. The Preston keeper sprung acrobatically to turn Fryatt's thumper over the bar after John did well to hold the ball up.

The half-time lead was no more than PNE deserved, but Leicester's Fryatt continued to prove that he had other ideas. Again Lonergan was tested when he let fly from long range, the home stopper this time making a smart stop low to his right to avoid being beaten by a more powerful daisy cutter than the shot initially appeared.

Sedgwick's strong shot from distance brought a good save from Fulop but that man Fryatt proved tormentor in chief as Leicester snatched an equaliser just 60 seconds after his strike partner Collins John had been replaced by the equally threatening Carl Cort. Fryatt's stinging shot was too powerful for Lonergan to hold, and the previously quiet DJ Campbell was in the right place at the right time to head home as the loose ball hung invitingly in the air with the goal at his mercy.

Powerful shooting appeared to be the order of the day, with PNE instantly looking to respond in kind. Carroll's sensible shepherding of the ball brought Whaley into play on the overlap, and he forced another fine save from Fulop with a strong shot from 25 yards.

Whaley looked to find the target again from distance as a short corner routine picked him out via the delivery of Nicholls and McKenna, but this time he lacked the direction to go with the immense fizz the shot contained.

The same could have been said of the end product of Leicester's immediate counter, with Cort making poor use of the useful knock down provided by fellow front man Campbell.

Billy Jones had departed the scene at the interval after a reoccurrence of his hamstring trouble, but his replacement Callum Davidson showed great vision with a clinical through ball to pick out fellow sub Patrick Agyemang just moments after he arrived in place of Brett Ormerod. Agyemang raced away down the left hand side and slid the ball invitingly into the path of the rampaging figure of Carroll, but he was denied by brave Fulop keeping, with the Foxes stopper taking a bang to the head for his troubles.

A neat, flowing move led by Agyemang's surge brought out the best passing qualities from Nicholls, McKenna and Davidson as they moved the ball from flank to flank, but Carroll couldn't convert with his head.

Hearts were in mouths as Chambers looked all set to strike the visitors into a late lead as he followed up Cort's blocked shot, but that was without accounting for the immense quality currently being exhibited by Sean St Ledger. He trapped the goalbound shot just inches from the line, and despite immense pressure from an onrushing forward, he coolly side-stepped the danger and stroked the ball clear. 

Ledg turned creator with a header back across the face of goal as the pressure mounted from a final minute set piece, but despite hurling himself at the loose ball, Youl Mawene couldn't turn it home with his own head as he landed under a pile of frantically scrambling bodies.

The game flew from end to end within the four minutes of stoppage time, and again Leicester came closer than was good for the heart on a number of nervously late occasions. Fryatt was only denied the goal he richly deserved when Mawene drew the ball from his toes with a perfectly timed tackle, and though Cort netted with a header from Alan Sheehan's cross, the flag was already up for offside.

Honours ended deservedly even, with both sides exhibiting more than enough quality to have won it, but just not the killer touch so richly needed.

PNE: Lonergan, Jones (sub Davidson 46), Mawene, St Ledger, Hill, Sedgwick, Nicholls, McKenna, Whaley, Ormerod (sub Agyemang 73), Carroll. Subs not used: Chris Neal, Hawley, Mellor.

Leicester: Fulop, Chambers, Kisnorbo, N'Gotty, McAuley (sub King 36), Campbell (sub Newton 78), Fryatt, Sheehan, Stearman, Kenton, John (sub Cort 58). Subs not used: Henderson, Newton, Maybury.

Booked: Carroll (11); Kisnorbo (87)

Referee: Mr C H Webster

Attendance: 10,930 (526 from Leicester)