It was a post-match conference of mixed emotions for Preston North End boss Alan Irvine after the 2-2 draw at Norwich City.

Irvine watched his side surrender an early advantage, then claw themselves back into the game with a late equaliser before enduring the agony of seeing his team miss great chances to take all three points in the closing minutes of the game.

"At 2-1 down I would have taken a point," Irvine said reflecting on a topsy-turvy afternoon.

"The chances we had at the end we should have really taken all three points. I'm not saying we deserved all three points over the course of the 90 minutes but we should have got them."

Irvine resisted making sweeping changes to the side that was defeated at home to Southampton seven days earlier. Goalscorer Chris Brown was one of only two changes, the other being Callum Davidson. It was Brown who opened the scoring after only two minutes, a real poachers goal at a ground where 12 months earlier he was a home team player.

Irvine said it was the ideal start for both player and club: "It was a good finish after a little bit of a mix-up in defence, but that was probably caused by a good run from Barry Nicholson and a good ball into the box, but Chris finished it well and it was a great start for him and for us.

"I said to Chris before the game that it was important that he used this in the right way, that he didn't feel that he had a massive point to prove, we know how good a job he has done since he has been here, so he shouldn't let it distract him from the game that he needed to play .

"He shouldn't be doing the wrong thing because he was trying to prove something to the people of Norwich. The best way he could have done that was with the goal."

Norwich equalised and later went ahead though two set-piece moves, something which disappointed the Preston boss, but the game swung back to North End's favour following a trio of substitutions. Neil Mellor, Chris Sedgwick and Richard Chaplow adding plenty of energy to the PNE cause.

Irvine refused to take credit for the inspired substitution but did admit that the momentum was already with PNE by the time Norwich were reduced to 10-men following the sending-off of Darren Russell.

Irvine said: "The game was already changing, the momentum was with us, we were looking as if we were going to score at some point. The sending-off and the goal, people will link the two things simply because they were so close but I don't think the sending off had a bearing on us scoring that goal at that time, I felt that the goal was coming."

The red card for Russell may have been the final spark to ignite a real hair-em-scare-em last ten minutes and the Preston boss suggested that the referee had no choice but to show a red card after Russell had pushed his hand in Ross Wallace's face.

"It's harsh when players get sent off for not doing a great deal but we know the rules and we know that you can't put your hands in someone's face, no matter how gently you actually do it," said the Preston gaffer.

"I don't think that Darrell Russell hit Ross Wallace but I can see the referee's point of view because he put his hands in his face. You'd be very disappointed with your own players for doing that."