Pawel Abbott struck in injury time to earn Preston a last-gasp 2-2 draw with Coventry at Deepdale.

Abbott latched onto Graham Alexander's free kick and drilled the ball past Gary Montgomery to keep the Lilywhites' faint play-off bid alive.

Both sides took time to settle down and it was Coventry who had the first chance of the game after nine minutes when Matt Jansen brought a save out of David Lucas.

Coventry's offside trap was causing problems for Preston and numerous attacks were brought to a sudden end by the lineman's flag.

North End gradually settled into a rhythm and Scotland international Alexander flashed a 25-yard effort narrowly wide on 20 minutes.

Two minutes later Pipe almost put the Sky Blues ahead but his shot from the edge of the area was superbly tipped around the post by Lucas.

Lewis headed Lynch's cross narrowly over Gary Montgomery's crossbar before the Lilywhites broke the deadlock.

Lewis escaped down the left wing and sent over an inviting cross that Cresswell got on the end of and planted a firm header past Montgomery.

Mohamed Konjic was inches away from an equaliser as Lucas pulled off another fine save to turn his header around the post for a corner.

Coventry came out for the second half with renewed vigour and Dean Gordon tested Lucas from 30 yards before the Sky Blues drew level when Craig Pead lashed home his first ever goal from the edge of the box on 50 minutes.

Coventry then went ahead on the hour. Jay Bothroyd crossed from the left and the impressive David Pipe stole in ahead of the Preston defence to crash the ball past Lucas.

Preston battled hard as they went in search of an equaliser and Montgomery pulled off another superb save from Cresswell's cross.

John Eustace's header from Bothroyd's cross came back off the crossbar 20 minutes from time as the Sky Blues looked to wrap up the points.

But Abbott struck late on to earn the Lilywhites a point and deny Coventry their first win on five games.

Teams

Preston: Lucas, Alexander, Jackson, Lucketti, Edwards (Abbott 83), Cartwright (O'Neil 67), McKenna, Etuhu, Lewis, Lynch, Cresswell.

Subs Not Used: Skora, Mears, Lonergan.

Booked: Lewis.

Goals: Cresswell 27, Abbott 90.

Coventry: Montgomery, Whing, Konjic, Shaw, Gordon, Pipe (McSheffrey 71), McAllister, Eustace, Pead, Bothroyd, Jansen (Engonga 77).

Subs Not Used: Debec, Davenport, Bates.

Booked: Gordon.

Goals: Pead 52, Pipe 62.

Att: 13,026

Ref: M Jones (Cheshire).