Wilson penalty earns Under-18s a point
- Youth start 2015 with a point at Preston
- Under-18s fall behind to second-minute penalty
- Substitute Wilson equalises with a spot-kick
SUBS: Wicks, Hudson, Roberts, Crankshaw, Magolis
: Dalton, Smith, Whelan, Roscoe (C), Hancox, Hagon, Quigley, AJ Robinson, Dsane, Boyd, Jagne PRESTON NORTH END LINE-UP
SUBS: Butts, Ashton, Carta, King, Wilson.
: Rowley, Hickman, Burton, Grogan, Watkins (C), Fletcher, Ginnelly, Flint, Anderson, Jones, Kenton. SHREWSBURY TOWN LINE-UP
Preston would have been lucky to pick up all three points and the Whites number nine acknowledged that his side were far from their best.
While the Blues were happy to commit men forward, the game became stretched and Preston could have won the game in the final few minutes, but they were unable to convert from a number of corners.
With Shrewsbury in the ascendancy, it became a test of Preston’s character to which the Whites continued to give a solid account of themselves.
Shrewsbury continued to pile forward in search of a winner but they were unable to breakthrough the Preston backline, as the visitors became restricted to shots from range that more often than not were blocked by those in white shirts.
But Preston’s resilience was finally broken as substitute Wilson equalised from 12 yards after Dalton brought down Kaiman Anderson as the striker rushed through on goal.
Pressing Preston back, the visitors started the second-half how they had ended the first and had early shouts for a penalty of their own waved away.
However, Preston led at half-time thanks to that early penalty.
Niall Flint was denied by Ross Dalton at point blank range and he also had a free-kick tipped round the post by the Preston keeper, while Ethan Jones struggled to find his range.
Shrewsbury did eventually adapt to the boggy conditions at Victory Park, though, and they could have been level on a number of occasions.
Preston looked menacing and as though they were in the mood for more.
Ginnelly had to come of with an injury early in the first half and was replaced by Wilson.
Dsane stepped up and confidently sent Shrews goalkeeper Shaun Rowley the wrong way to give his side the lead.
Although it was the first game back after the Christmas break, Preston looked full of energy and they were gifted a penalty after two minutes when James Boyd was fouled by Josh Ginnelly.
The game was a scrappy affair with conditions slowing down the pace of the game, but Preston will have been happy to secure a point having been made to defend the majority of the game.
Eddie Dsane put Preston ahead after just two minutes from the penalty spot, but Wilson also held his nerve from 12 yards to secure a point for Town in the Football League Youth Alliance - North West league fixture at Victory Park, the home of Chorley Football Club.
A second-half penalty from substitute Jordan Wilson earned Shrewsbury Town's youth team a point at Preston North End in the league on Saturday.