Paul Smyth delivered a dramatic 90th‑minute equaliser for a reduced Queens Park Rangers side, rescuing a point after they clawed back from a two‑goal deficit to finish the match level at 2‑2 with a struggling Preston North End. Johnny Kenny, the Irish forward who recently arrived from Celtic, opened the scoring almost instantly – his first touch of the game produced a goal just 64 seconds in – and then doubled Preston's advantage later in the first half after Rangers defender Dennis Cirkin was shown a red card. Kenny's early strike gave the newly‑appointed caretaker manager, former first‑team coach Jason Euell, an ideal platform to begin his brief tenure following the dismissal of Paul Heckingbottom.
The opening move came from a long ball delivered by Stan Mills. Jimmy Dunne, positioned near the halfway line, hesitated, allowing Kenny to intercept, sprint forward and calmly slot the ball past goalkeeper Pierce Charles.
The goal set the tone for what appeared to be a comfortable night for the visitors. However, the momentum shifted dramatically just before the quarter‑hour mark when Cirkin collided with QPR defender Leo Leroy and was sent off, leaving the home side with ten men. Preston had an opportunity to extend the lead when Andrew Hughes headed Alfie Devine's cross wide, but the miss proved a reprieve for the shorthanded Rangers. In the 26th minute, Mills broke into the box from the right.
Both Ronnie Edwards and Nicolas Madsen attempted to close him down but tangled with each other, leaving the ball loose. Kenny pounced on the rebound and fired a low first‑time shot into the far corner, making it 2‑0 and seemingly putting the match beyond QPR's reach.
The visitors, however, refused to capitulate. Just before the break, Kwame Poku found himself unable to connect with a cross from Kealey Adamson, but the chance signalled QPR's intent to keep pushing. After the interval, Preston continued to dominate possession, but their finishing was erratic.
Edwards' volley went wide, substitute Koki Saito struck the post, and both Madsen and Amadou Mbengue sent shots over the bar. Persistence paid off in the 66th minute when winger Poku scored his first goal for the club. Dunne attempted to flick on a long throw from Smyth, but Poku created a pocket of space at the edge of the penalty area and unleashed a low drive that slipped past Daniel Iversen, reducing the deficit to 2‑1.
From that point on, the match turned into a frantic search for an equaliser. Both sides rattled the woodwork: Callum Lang's header from Andrija Vukcevic's cross struck the top of the bar, while Alfie Lloyd's effort hit the bar before being denied at point‑blank range by Iversen. In the dying moments, Smyth produced a thunderous 20‑yard strike that found the back of the net, restoring parity at 2‑2. Iversen managed to deny a late attempt by Madsen, but the damage was done.
The final whistle confirmed a point each, a result that will feel like three points for QPR supporters given the adversity they overcame. After the match, QPR midfielder Julien Stephan reflected on the comeback: "In the second half we didn't feel like we were a man down – the crowd lifted us and it felt like we were playing with a full eleven. I’ve never experienced anything like this in my career. This night will stay with me for a long time.
One point on the board, but it feels worth three in the hearts of the fans and the players." Preston caretaker boss Jason Euell expressed his disappointment: "It’s frustrating. When you’re 2‑0 up against ten men you expect to walk away with three points. At half‑time I told the squad I was both loving and hating them – loving the early dominance, hating the complacency that allowed QPR to grow into the game. This is a learning curve; we need better game management and focus when we’re ahead.
We’re disappointed, and I know the fans are too. We had a point, but we dropped two that we should have kept." The result leaves Preston anchored at the bottom of the Sky Bet Championship after a run of six defeats in seven games, a slump that ultimately cost Heckingbottom his job. Meanwhile, QPR, despite the numerical disadvantage, demonstrated resilience and a fighting spirit that could prove vital in the remainder of their season. Fans can continue to follow the drama of the Championship on the Sky Sports app, catch highlights for free, and even enter the Super 6 competition for a chance to win £250,000, all without spending a penny.