Brad Potts strikes as Barnsley halt run of dismal away days

Posted Sunday, September 10, 2017 by PA

Barnsley ended a run of five successive away defeats as Brad Potts notched an equaliser to secure a 1-1 draw with Preston at Deepdale.

Potts cancelled out Sean Maguire's first goal for Preston, who conceded for only the second time in the Sky Bet Championship this season.

Preston had the first chance of the match after eight minutes as Maguire jinked down the left wing and pulled the ball back for Jordan Hugill 12 yards out. The shot skewed just wide of the near post.

Maguire, the summer signing from Cork, was in action again after 20 minutes when he met Stephy Mavididi's cross but headed straight at Adam Davies.

Three minutes later he did better. Tom Barkhuizen twisted away from Jason McCarthy and chipped the ball in from the left, with Maguire rising highest to power a header from 12 yards low into the left-hand corner.

But Preston's joy was short-lived as they conceded their first goal at Deepdale this season three minutes later. Adam Hammill got the better of Josh Earl and crossed low across the six-yard box where Potts bundled home.

Barnsley's equaliser seemed to take the life out of the hosts and Preston required a goal-line clearance from Darnell Fisher after 48 minutes to keep them level as Ike Ugbo, the on-loan Chelsea striker, prodded goalwards from six yards.

Preston came close though when Paul Gallagher, making his 500th career appearance, picked out Paul Huntington from a corner but the centre-half's header from six yards was parried by Davies.

Barnsley's main threat was coming on the counter-attack and they cut Preston open in the 67th minute as George Moncur unleashed a shot from 20 yards that was well blocked by Fisher.

Preston had arguably their best chance to go in front again after 80 minutes when Hugill, who had a transfer request rejected last week, met a cross from the left but could only place his header from six yards straight at Davies.

The visitors, who have now lost just one of their last eight meetings with Preston, were growing in confidence and had the chance to go ahead after 80 minutes as Wade Maxwell dropped a cross to Harvey Barnes who fired over the bar from 12 yards.

Maguire almost grabbed an injury-time winner for Preston but his strike was tipped over by Davies and the game ended a draw.