Preston North End 1-1 Derby County: Jerry Yates earns Rams point

Preston striker Milutin Osmajic was back in the matchday squad after serving an eight-match ban for biting Blackburn’s Owen Beck in September.

But it was Leeds loanee Greenwood who showed his quality at Deepdale first, perfectly guiding home a quick-paced cross from left-footed North End centre-half Andrew Hughes.

The joyous scenes were short-lived in Lancashire, however, as the Rams’ Yates, on loan from Swansea, scored his fourth league goal of the season, cleverly freeing himself from the hosts’ defence to head past Freddie Woodman after a free-kick delivery.

Those six minutes proved to be the most entertaining period of the match with neither side managing to be incisive in the final third, the wet and windy conditions of Storm Bert not helping in the north west.

Derby particularly were non-threatening, with Yates’ equaliser being their lone effort on target but Paul Warne’s side nearly took the lead in the 41st minute as midfielder Liam Thompson’s cross following a counter attack was nearly diverted into Preston’s net by the Lilywhites’ Benjamin Whiteman.

Preston manager Paul Heckingbottom tried to up the home side’s threat in the second half by bringing on Osmajic but the Montenegro international also could not find the target.

Emil Riis and Ebou Adams were both off target with efforts for their respective sides in a game increasingly looking for a spark.

Ex-Ipswich player Harness could have been the hero for the travelling Derby fans in injury time but his strike from outside the box was fired just over the cross bar, meaning the spoils were shared.