Preston North End came away from the Keepmoat Stadium with a hard fought 1-1 draw against a tricky Doncaster side who pushed them all the way.

Chris Brown netted for PNE in the 28th minute to give Preston the lead going into the second half. After a good start to the second half by Preston, Doncaster finished strongly, Adam Lockwood sticking the ball in the net with ten minutes to go to deny Alan Irvine's side three away points.

North End manager Alan Irvine made several changes from the team that drew 2-2 with Bristol City in the opening league game. 'The Beast' Jon Parkin made way for Chris Brown as the lone striker, being supported by new signing Paul Parry, both goalscorers in the record 5-1 League Cup victory over Morecambe on Tuesday night

Doncaster were captained by former PNE midfielder Brian Stock, whose team are looking to continue arguably the most successful run in their history which sees them in the second tier for just the second season in 50 years.

Sean O'Driscoll's side got the match underway in what was an uneventful first few minutes until Lilywhites right-back Billy Jones miscontrolled a pass allowing Doncaster's Paul Heffernan through on goal three minutes in, only to have his shot blocked. The danger wasn't cleared however as Rovers' number ten John Spicer blasted the rebound over from 25 yards.

Jones was involved again on five minutes when his sweetly struck cross was scrambled clear by the Doncaster defence as both sides tried to feel their way into the game.

Doncaster responded on eight minutes when after some nice play in the middle of the park by Heffernan and Spicer, Coppinger was put through on the right, only the see his cross fly over the Doncaster forward line and out for a throw.

Preston meanwhile were getting on with things at the other end, Paul Parry and Barry Nicholson both making promising runs without really creating any chances. Nicholson himself would have been clean through on goal if it were not for last ditch Doncaster defending on 11 minutes.

It wasn't until the 16th minute that North End created their first chance, which fell to Richard Chaplow about 25 yards out after some good work in the air from Ross Wallace. The shot lacked power though and was saved by the veteran Scottish goalkeeper Neil Sullivan in the Doncaster net.

The 18th minute brought drama at the Keepmoat Stadium, as the quick feet of Ross Wallace down the left created an opening for Chris Brown in the box, and it would have been 1-0 had James Shackell not managed to get in the way of Brown's header on the six yard line.

From the resulting clearance, Rovers went straight down the opposite end and created a chance of their own, but a lack of composure in the box resulted in ex PNE player Stock having to shoot from 20 yards out. He was emphatically denied by a St. Ledger block.

The next big chance of the game also fell to Doncaster, John Spicer and Martin Woods exchanged neat passes on the edge of the box, only for Spicer to miscontrol the return and the chance was gone.

This seemed to shake the Lilywhites into life on 23 minutes, Chris Sedgwick's left foot cross being headed just over by Nicholson as they pushed for an opener.

The opener went to Alan Irvine's men and came in the 28th minute, courtesy of a neat right foot finish past an outstretched Neil Sullivan from Chris Brown. Ross Wallace slid him in, and the big man powered in between Shackell and Roberts to net against his former club. The strike delighted the travelling PNE fans at the same time as silencing the lively home contingent.

After the first goal Preston tried to exert some authority on the game, the pressure resulting in the first corner of the game, which James Chambers did well to head clear under pressure from Billy Jones on 32 minutes.

Whilst at the back Doncaster had resorted to 40 yard clearances in the wrong direction, they did still look dangerous on the break, with St. Ledger doing well on 33 minutes to deny Heffernan a chance to test Andy Lonergan on what is his 100th consecutive appearance for PNE.

Paul Parry thought he'd made it two-nil in the 37th minute. The former Cardiff winger was unlucky as he nodded Davidson's pinpoint cross from the left just wide at Sullivan's far post.

North End looked happy to sit on their lead as half time approached, looking to release Parry through the middle on several occasions. However the person standing in his way on most occasions seemed to be the linesman.

Richard Chaplow put his stamp on the game in the last action of the first half, as he was booked for a challenge on Doncaster captain Brian Stock, who didn't take too kindly to the tackle, and the two exchanged words.

Both teams began the second half unchanged, and it was Wallace who raced out of the blocks fastest, cutting inside from the left and feeding Parry the ball. Parry then teed up a Davidson cross which Chaplow may well have stuck in had his feet been a couple of sizes bigger in the 46th minute.

On 54 minutes Doncaster gave Preston a timely reminder that they were still very much in the games when the pacey right back James Chambers cut inside on his left and unleashed a powerful shot that was parried by Lonergan into the path of James Hayter, who hit his snapshot against the foot of Lonergan's right hand post.

That brought the Doncaster fans out into full song, and captain Brian Stock almost gave them what the wanted on two occasions; first with a 56th minute free kick that Lonergan did well to push wide, and then with a scrambled shot from inside the box, smothered this time by Lonergan.

Alan Irvine was then forced to bring on defender Liam Chilvers for the injured Youl Mawene after some extensive treatment inside the Preston area.

It was Chilvers in the 57th minute who came close to "doing a Trotman" and scoring with one of his first touches of the match. However the substitute could only head Wallace's free kick wide of the near post.

Wallace was involved again in the 59th minute, unfortunately for PNE fans he was injured in a clash with Doncaster's Chambers. It was to be his last involvement as striker Jon Parkin was brought on to replace the Scottish winger.

The change meant that Alan Irvine's side would switch to a more familiar 4-4-2 formation with Parry moving to the left wing.

Parry continued where Wallace had left off with some good work down the left, both going forward and defending.

Captain Callum Davidson came off considerably worse in a 50-50 in the 68th minute. Another tackle flew in and things threatened to boil over for a moment and Chambers joined the party. Fortunately the referee was able to calm everyone down.

Sean O'Driscoll decided to ring a change on 70 minutes, replacing the lively John Spicer with Northern Ireland international Dean Shiels.

The substitution had no effect on Doncaster though, as Brown teed up Parkin in the 72nd minute. Parkin did well do get the ball wide to Sedgwick who had his shot parried by Sullivan from a difficult angle.

After the some pinball in the North End box, Preston's final change came, with Paul Parry making way for Darren Carter in the PNE midfield. Doncaster soon followed suit with the second change, former Everton man John Oster coming on for Paul Heffernan.

With Doncaster needing inspiration it was again captain Brian Stock in the 77th minute who tried to lift the team, dispossessing Chaplow 30 yards out and firing at Lonergan who did well to save.

Doncaster managed to squeeze in the equaliser to the utter delight on the home fans with 79 minutes on the clock. Adam Lockwood was first to react after Lonergan did well to save a shot during a frantic goal-mouth scramble.

It could easily have been two for Doncaster with nine minutes left were it not for Lonergan pushing sub Dean Shiels shot around his right hand post. The momentum was definitely with Doncaster at this point as the crowd urged them forward at every opportunity.

As Doncaster pushed forward in the closing stages, the PNE back line continued to hold strong, Davidson and Chilvers chipping in with several massive clearances whenever danger threatened.

The action seemed to follow the clearances to the other end of the pitch as on 89 minutes Davidson found Darren Carter, who almost squirmed a shot under Neil Sullivan, igniting the Lilywhites fans who were occupying the North bank of the Keepmoat.

Both teams pushed hard for the winner as the fourth official announced three added minutes, Carter and Chaplow trying to turn defence into attack on more than one occasion.

Stoppage time at the Keepmoat brought some route one football, with Jon Parkin being the prime target, however neither team could seem to grab the winner.

In the end it was a hard earned draw for Alan Irvine's boys in what was a tough second fixture away at Doncaster.

The draw puts the unbeaten Lilywhites in tenth position in the Championship table, with an away trip to Barnsley their next challenge on Tuesday night.

Doncaster: Neil Sullivan, Gareth Roberts, James Chambers, Adam Lockwood, Jason Shackell, Brian Stock (Captain), James Coppinger, Paul Heffernan, James Hayter. Subs: Dean Shiels, Mark Wilson, Quinton Fortune, Sam Hird, Lewis Guy, Ben Smith, John Oster.

Preston: Andy Lonergan, Callum Davidson (Captain), Richard Chaplow, Youl Mawene, Chris Sedgwick, Chris Brown, Barry Nicholson, Sean. St Ledger, Paul Parry, Billy Jones, Ross Wallace. Subs: Darren Carter, Veliche Shumulikoski, Liam Chilvers, Wayne Henderson, Jon Parkin, Eddie Nolan, Neil Mellor.

Referee: Mr M P Russell

Attendance: 10,017