A young Preston North End side drew 1-1 in the Central League with an experienced Wrexham outfit.

It was the visitors who opened the scoring through Louis Lloyd in the first half, before Finlay Cross-Adair drew level shortly into the second period.

North End finished the game with ten men after Kian Taylor received two yellows, but they held on to take a point from the league opener.

PNE fielded almost an entire U19 outfit, while the visitors gave minutes to players with Football League experience, including the likes of Liam McAlinden and Jordan Tunnicliffe.

Tommy Davis had to produce a couple of good stops in the early stages of the game, most importantly saving one-on-one inside just two minutes to deny Kai Evans.

PNE had a shout for a penalty seven minutes in, as Matthew Olosunde appeared to be pulled down in the area, but nothing was given.

After another couple of saves by Davis, North End could have opened the scoring on 32 minutes, as Rio Pemberton sent a great corner into the box towards Kian Best and Noah Mawene, who both couldn’t quite convert.

Davis again produced a good save to deny Bryce Hosannah, but he could only parry to Lloyd who opened the scoring.

PNE so nearly found an equaliser shortly into the second period, with Pemberton sending a fantastic cross towards Taylor, and the defender saw his header clawed out by Rory Watson.

The resulting corner created the eventual equaliser, though, as Pemberton’s corner fell to Cross-Adair who spun and fired past the ‘keeper.

At the other end, former Morecambe forward McAlinden saw a shot deflected inches wide just a few minutes later.

With just over 20 minutes to play, PNE were reduced to ten men, with Taylor receiving a second yellow card for a foul, but that didn’t stop the young Lilywhites pushing for a winner.

They came so close to getting just that on 84 minutes, as Dana Amaral played a brilliant ball through to Cole McGhee, who in turn centred it for Cross-Adair, but he couldn’t quite stretch far enough to make contact in front of goal.

PNE line-up: Davis; Olosunde, Best, McGhee; Pemberton (Wallbank, 64), Amaral, Horan (Kamara, 74), Taylor; Mawene, Nelson; Cross-Adair (Eccleston, 90+2). Subs not used: Hogarth, Pasiek.

Wrexham line-up: Watson; Jones, Butler, Tunnicliffe (Davies, 56) Hosannah (Rainbird, 45); Lloyd, Mountfield, Chalwell, Evans; McAlinden (Jenkins, 70), Bickerstaff. Subs not used: Pilkington, Davies, Jones.

Referee: Mr N Cox.