Preston North End have picked up a point in their first match back in the second tier after holding Middlesbrough to a goalless draw at Deepdale in the Championship this afternoon.
The home side were on the attack early on as Paul Gallagher curled the ball in from a corner inside the opening 10 minutes, but Bailey Wright could not head it in.
Grant Leadbitter soon got involved down the other end as he attempted the test the newly-promoted side's defence, linking up with Kike on the way, but his finish was off-target.
After a dominant spell from Aitor Karanka's side, the hosts started to look lively again before half time, as on-loan striker Will Keane was denied by a goal-line clearance from George Friend, while Dimitrios Konstantopoulos had to make a save to stop Joe Garner opening the scoring.
Albert Adomah came close to breaking the deadlock shortly after the restart as he rose highest to attempt to head in from a Kike cross, only to see his effort deflected behind.
Stewart Downing tried to make an impact in his first league match since rejoining Boro, but he found himself flagged offside after breaking into the box.
Substitute Diego Fabbrini attepted to use his fresh legs to get the better of the Preston defence with 20 minutes to go, sprinting down the flank before pulling the ball back for Adomah, but the winger failed to round the keeper.
Downing tried to make his presence felt in the closing stages as Boro pushed for a late winner, but his long-range strike did not trouble Jordan Pickford.
Preston tried to snatch the win late on, too, as Gallagher provided yet another cross into the box, but Garner could not keep his header down to finally open the scoring.
The hosts thought they were through again in stoppage time as Garner broke free to try to head in from a Greg Cunningham cross, but it finished just wide of the post.
Sian Cowper
