Preston North End 3-2 Scunthorpe United
Report from Deepdale

Click here for a detailed analysis from the game

United conceded two late goals to lose 3-2 at fellow Championship strugglers Preston North End on Saturday.

Jon Parkin gave the hosts a first-half lead but Garry Thompson's two-goal second-half blast turned things around at Deepdale.

Nevertheless, Billy Jones equalised from close range four minutes from time following a scramble.

Then Keith Treacy scored a superb winning goal to defeat Scunthorpe, who remain two points clear of the Championship's bottom three.

The Iron entered the clash making four changes from the side beaten 3-0 at Swansea City on Easter Monday.

David Mirfin, back from a calf injury, returned to the starting line-up in place of Niall Canavan, while Jim McNulty came in for his full debut in place of Marcus Williams, who has been suffering from illness.

Martyn Woolford came back into midfield in place of Josh Wright, while Gary Hooper replaced Donal McDermott, making his first start since last February after shaking off a groin problem.

Joe Murphy started in goal, with captain Cliff Byrne, Mirfin, Michael Raynes and McNulty forming the defence.

The midfield consisted of Thompson, Matt Sparrow, Grant McCann and Woolford while Paul Hayes partnered Hooper in attack.

The substitutes were Andrew Wright, Kenny Milne, Jonathan Forte, Michael O'Connor, Josh Wright, McDermott and Josh Lillis.

It was a beautiful day in Lancashire, with the sun out and the away following of around 500 fans anticipating an entertaining afternoon, with an attack-minded side selected by boss Nigel Adkins.

Wearing their claret and blue colours, Scunthorpe came out on to the pitch hoping to claim a vital Championship away win.

Preston kicked off and had the first chance of the match two minutes in when Parkin turned on the edge of the area and curled a powerful strike wide and over.

The Iron had a great chance to go ahead just a minute later when Thompson found Hooper who, in turn played in Hayes with a pass across the area, but the former Norwich marksman's flick was tipped out by Andy Lonergan for a corner, from which nothing came for the away team.

Paul Hayes' early effort is blocked away by Andy Lonergan.

Shortly after, Hooper tried to play Hayes in again as the Iron continued to impress going forward.

The Lilywhites came close in the 11th minute as Treacy drove a low strike wide of goal from the left angle of the 18-yard box.

But, on the break, Hayes came close again - this time heading over from Thompson's delivery from the right flank.

North End had a decent chance 15 minutes in as Jon Parkin isolated a defender, as Paul Coutts plays it into the former Hull man's path. He took the ball in his stride and struck the ball in one movement, but it went wide of Murphy's bottom right-hand post.

Woolford's snapshot went wide soon after as Scunthorpe continued to remind their hosts that they were in the game.

The Lilywhites had another decent chance in the 20th minute but Treacy's drive from just inside the area was well stopped by Murphy, who caught it.

However, they eventually took the lead on 30 minutes when the visiting team failed to clear their lines and Parkin duly struck the ball beyond Murphy from six yards after a cross into the box by Treacy had only been partly cleared by Byrne, with the ball hitting Mirfin and falling into the frontman's path.

In the ten minutes prior to the goal, the hosts had started to get on top of the midfield battle and Scunthorpe weren't creating many chances.

Parkin - 'The Beast', as he is affectionately known by his side's fans - came close again soon after - this time heading straight into Murphy's arms after a Treacy cross.

After being teed up by Thompson, McCann's curler drew an excellent stop from Lonergan, who dived down to his right to tip out the midfielder's effort.

From the subsequent corner, taken by the former Barnsley man, arrowed a left-footed volley towards goal but it was deflected wide for another set-play.

Hayes curled a shot over the crossbar soon after as good play by Sparrow and Hooper had teed him up.

Parkin very nearly made it two as he linked up with Treacy in a great passing move before striking low down towards Murphy's right as he parried the ball wide.

Hooper tried to get a flick on to Woolford's right-footed cross from the left flank but narrowly failed as Lonergan scrambled the loose ball.

Just moments before the half-time whistle, in the second minute out of two in stoppage time, Murphy made a fantastic stop, tipping out Danny Mayor's powerful strike low to his right when the ball appeared to be behind him.

Scunthorpe made a change at half-time as Josh Wright came on for Woolford, and Thompson moved up front alongside Hooper, with Hayes playing just behind them.

Thompson was played in by McCann six minutes into the second half and the attacker took a tumble but Trevor Kettle wasn't giving a free-kick.

Just two minutes later he latched on to Murphy's long ball and cut inside down the left before his ball across was cleared for a corner by Sean St Ledger.

Shortly after that, Sparrow's low drive from the edge of the area was easily swept up by Lonergan.

Treacy kept up the pressure from the hosts but his drive took a deflection and was tipped wide by Murphy.

Nevertheless, the away side levelled in the 64th minute when St Ledger's backpass let in Thompson, who advanced on Lonergan and struck the ball beyond the home shotstopper in front of his own fans.

Garry Thompson fires in his side's equaliser.

Scunthorpe were building up a head of steam and McCann's shot was blocked after he had been teed up by Wright soon after.

The visitors kept up there pressure and Hooper drilled wide across goal from the right as they looked for a second goal.

And it was Thompson who duly delivered in the 72nd minute as Wright clipped him through with an excellent crossfield pass and he prodded past the onrushing Lonergan on the half-volley as Scunthorpe went ahead with the ex-Morecambe man's eighth goal of the season.

Garry Thompson scores his second of the day.

Shortly after, Hooper was replaced by O'Connor as the away team tightened up the midfield as well as added a fresh attacking spark.

The hosts started to press for an equaliser but Treacy curled well wide of Murphy's bottom right-hand post.

They continued and found the equaliser in the 86th minute as Jones bundled home from close range with a header after Murphy had kept out Chris Brown's effort from point-blank range.

Preston's fans were galvanised by the leveller and they started to chase a match-winner and, in the final minute out of three in stoppage time, Treacy was afforded all the space in the world down the left flank to cut inside and curl a shot beyond Murphy's dive and seal all three points for the hosts in dramatic fashion.

Jim McNulty applauds the away following after an impressive full debut.

Scunthorpe are next in action on Saturday when they host Bristol City.

Attendance: 12,441 (500 away approx).