Preston North End had to settle for a point against Queens Park Rangers after the visitors fought back from a two goal deficit at Deepdale.

North End took the lead before half time courtesy of Billy Jones and the Lilywhites doubled their advantage in the 56th minute following Callum Davidson's spot kick.

However, two goals in quick succession for QPR by Peter Ramage and Tamas Priskin completed Rangers comeback, ensuring that the Hoops left Deepdale with a share of the spoils.

Darren Ferguson made three changes from the game at the Riverside on Tuesday night with Elliott Ward making his debut in the centre of defense with Sean St. Ledger, Jones coming back into the side for Michael Hart and Jon Parkin returning up front to partner Neil Mellor.

It was Andy Lonergan who was first to be called into action but the Preston shot stopper managed to deal with Adel Taarabt's two strikes with a great deal of comfort.

Despite these two chances by the Morrocan, Mellor had the best effort in the opening stages when his curling effort just dropped over the crossbar, a shot which looked promising before it got caught up in the swirling wind inside Deepdale.

This blistering wind heavily affected the start of the game with North End trying to combat a stubborn QPR backline.

In the 28th minute, North End sparked the game into life, firstly with Ross Wallace's free kick just clearing the crossbar and then with Parkin who's shot inside the penalty area crashed off of the post, much to the dismay to home supporters.

The breakthrough did come for PNE though in the 36th minute and it was again from a set piece. Richard Chaplow whipped the corner in from the right hand side and it was almost a dream start to life at Deepdale for Ward, but he was unable to prod the ball on target. Fellow defender Jones came steaming in though and smashed the ball into the roof of the net to open the scoring.

Jones' goal just under ten minutes before half time was the highlight of a hard fought half which the Lilywhites thoroughly deserved to be leading in.

Neil Warnock made a substitution at the start of the second half with Roan Vine coming on for Antonia German. Nevertheless, it was Mellor who had the first chance of the half after being played in by Ward; unfortunately the striker was forced wide and subsequently pulled his left footed shot wide of the target.

The wind continued to swirl inside Deepdale making it difficult for both sides but one man who was making things difficult for QPR was striker Parkin. Parkin powered into the penalty area and before the striker was able to pull the trigger, Rangers defender Kaspars Gorkss pulled the Beast down.

After this, the referee had no hesitation into pointing the spot, giving North End the chance of doubling their lead. Davidson stepped up and rocketed his penalty into the top corner, leaving Karl Ikeme no chance with his emphatic spot kick.

Davidson's 56th minute penalty gave Preston a bit of breathing space but the Lilywhites were dealt a scare with the Hoops equalising just one minute after finding themselves two goals down.

Taarabt, who had been QPR's most dangerous and influential player spotted Ramage running into the penalty area unmarked and the full back got onto the end of Tarrabt's pass and slotted the ball past Lonergan. This gave the visitors a massive lifeline straight after conceding from the penalty spot.

Contrary to the first half, the second half was extremely lively and Mellor had a great chance to give Preston another two goal cushion in the 63rd minute. Mellor was played clean through on goal but the striker was denied after a fine save by Ikeme. The ball then came out to Parkin who was unable to steer the ball into the gaping net, with the ball bouncing up at an awkward height for the striker.

Ferguson's men were made to pay for missing these chances when Priskin went up the other end and equalised just two minutes later. Like their first, it was again Taarabt who was the orchestrator after he played the ball into Priskin who fired the ball past Lonergan from inside the penalty area. This was almost a carbon copy of their first goal as the Moroccan international was proving to be the key for the visiting side.

QPR were now on the front foot and the Hoops were close to grabbing the lead soon after the restart. It was substitute Vine who almost fired his side into the lead after Taarabt played a teasing ball into the area but luckily Vine blazed his shot over. Taarabt, who is on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, was running the show for Rangers in an action packed second half.

The game was hanging in the balance in the last ten minutes and North End substitute Chris Sedgwick had a mazy run in the 85th minute but the midfielder was just unable to get his shot away. This was a strong finish to the game for Ferguson's men who were stretching the QPR defense in search of the winning goal.

Chaplow almost gave Preston the lead in the last minute of normal time when Preston's number four picked the ball up just outside of the Hoops' penalty area but the midfielder dragged his shot wide.

Just as the game was petering out for the draw, North End's defenders had their hearts in their mouths when Gorkss' header just went over and onto the roof of the net.

Then, if it couldn't get any more tense, Mellor was played through on the left hand side and his drive was saved by Ikeme. The ball then bounced back out to the striker who saw his shot headed off of the line by former North End defender Matt Hill. Hill's goal line interception ensured that the game finished honours even at Deepdale in a frustrating afternoon for Preston.