HUDDERSFIELD Town were left to rue a last-gasp goal as they had to settle for a 1-1 draw at Preston North End.

Iffy Onuora’s fourth goal of the season looked to have earned the Terriers their first ever victory on a plastic pitch, but Warren Joyce grabbed a dramatic last-minute equaliser for North End.

Eoin Hand’s men, who extended their unbeaten run to six games, threw away countless chances and three points that should have easily been picked up at Deepdale.

The game was one-sided with Town creating far more chances, making the draw even more hard to swallow.

It took only 13 minutes for the deadlock to be broken, Onuora finding the back of the net after he burst through a Jeff Wrightson challenge just inside the box.

Town had a glorious chance to double their lead only 10 minutes later, a Mark Smith cross picked out Onuora but the striker was inches away from connecting with the ball.

Kieran O’Regan also went close for the visitors, but his driven shot could find only the side netting.

The sound of the half-time whistle came as blessed relief for the Preston players, who were jeered throughout the first half by their fans as they witnessed Town’s domination.

Straight from the kick off, the visitors again had the chance to go two up, but Onuora wasted a clear opportunity from a Chris Marsden cross and another chance went begging for Town’s frontman after Preston missed their chance to level.

Simon Charlton took the ball from his own goal line, passed to Marsden and he supplied an inch-perfect pass to put Onuora in the clear.

With the keeper running off his line, the striker took his chance with an early shot but it drifted agonisingly over the bar.

A brilliant save by Steve Hardwick kept Town’s hopes of leaving with the win alive when he tipped a 25-yard shot by Martin James over the bar.

Examiner reporter Mel Booth said it was an extremely dull game.

“Despite the chances this was certainly no thriller – the windy conditions and horrible surface made sure of that,” reported Booth.

The Town defence put in a solid performance throughout the 90 minutes, with their only mistake allowing Preston to score.

Huge pressure was put on Town during the last 10 minutes of the game, but a Peter Jackson failure to intercept a through ball made way for Joyce to fire home.

Hand’s men deserved a better outcome but could not have wished for better openings.

The chances were created but the side failed to make the most of them.

Unfortunately, it was to become the story of the season.

PNE: Kelly, Senior, Rathbone, Joyce, Hughes, Wrightson, Harper (Peel 70 mins), Bogie, Shaw, Swann, James. Sub (not used): Flynn

Town: Hardwick, Trevitt, Charlton, Marsden, Mitchell, Jackson, O’Regan, Wilson, Roberts, Smith, Onuora. Subs (not used): Donovan, Barnett

Referee: Joe Worrall (Warrington)

Attendance: 4,646