North End couldn't quite condemn Curzon Ashton to a thoroughly miserable weekend to compound their mens' team's FA Cup exit 24 hours earlier, but taking a last gasp point in biting conditions was a handy return from a potentially tricky league encounter.
Tameside Stadium was the venue for the third encounter of the season between the two teams. With Curzon having won the league fixture and PNE the cup tie, an evenly matched game was anticipated and this was in fact what was to occur.
The opening half hour was somewhat uneventful with Curzon being restricted to a long range effort from Amanda Goodwin which went over the bar. Gemma Watson for the visitors was unlucky not to latch onto a Laura Walker through ball, the pace of it taking it into the arms of Curzon keeper Jade Thornborough.
Watson then produced a shot on target and was finally rewarded for her efforts on 35 minutes, working well initially to retain the ball, she passed to Mel Martin on the left wing then slotted the return ball past the keeper into the bottom right hand corner.
Curzon's Becky Lee then fired in a free kick initially cleared by the Preston defence but then hit towards goal by Carla Cleworth, forcing the Lilywhites keeper Danielle Gibbons into pushing wide for a corner. This was eventually cleared after a goalmouth scramble. Laura Walker had the last opportunity to extend the lead before the interval, doing well to bring the ball under control but then unfortunately seeing her effort on goal go over the bar.
In the opening five minutes of the second half, Gibbons in the Preston goal did enough to force Nicky McLeod into shooting wide and hitting the side netting. On 55 minutes a corner delivered hard and low by Goodwin was cleared by the Preston defence.
An injury to Curzon's Emma Lambourne saw her replaced by Emma Gaynon with Preston then substituting Louise Cafferkey with Sam Cadwallader. In search of an equaliser, Goodwin had a shot on target with Jo Holt delivering a free kick cleared by the visiting defence.
On 75 minutes the desired equaliser came through the pacy McLeod who raced onto a through ball and despite appearing to be offside carried on to finish past Gibbons to level the score.
Ten minutes from time, the hosts broke from a Preston corner taken by Walker, and took the lead with an intelligent ball played for Kelly Deane who finished past the stranded Gibbons.
Linny Craig then replaced Walker for Preston with the Curzon management replacing goal scorer Deane with Nicky Maylett. Preston manager Chris Stammers then reverted to three in defence in an attempt to find an equaliser replacing Vikki Eastwood with the returning Cathy Jones, Curzon taking Lee off to be replaced by Smith.
The last action of the game saw Preston awarded a free kick on the edge of the box following a Curzon handball. Alison Taberner stepped up and shot hard and low past Thornborough to ensure her side obtained a deserved share of the points.
Preston manager Chris Stammers commented: "It was a well earned point obtained from hard work and desire. I am pleased with the mental and physical attitude of the team to earn the point against a direct team."
PNE: Danielle Gibbons, Alison Taberner, Sarah Jones, Louise Belcher, Vikki Eastwood, Anisha Bateman, Sarah Berry, (capt) Mel Martin, Laura Walker, Louise Cafferkey, Gemma Watson. Subs: Sam Cadwallader, Linny Craig, Cathy Jones, Mel Bartley.
Curzon: Jade Thornborough, Georgina Stebbings, Jo Holt, Cath Beaver (capt), Jane Sexton, Becky Lee, Amanda Goodwin, Carla Cleworth, Nicky McLeod, Kelly Deane, Emma Lambourne. Subs: Liz Baird, Leanne Smith, Emma Gaynon, Nicky Maylett.
The reserves unfortunately lost their League Cup quarter final tie away at Bristol Academy by five goals to nil.
Elsewhere, centre half Sarah Jones has been named as supporters' player of the month for November after a string of excellent displays.
