Billy Jones struck a late equaliser to boost Preston's survival prospects.
Middlesbrough were denied an opener when Nicky Bailey's 35-yard shot was parried by Andy Lonergan, who then kept out Leroy Lita's shot from the rebound.
The hosts made the breakthrough when defender Matthew Bates struck an 18-yard shot into the bottom left-hand corner for his second goal this season.
But with two minutes left, Jones headed home a cross from Conor McLaughlin to salvage a point for Middlesbrough.
Despite failing to hold on to their lead Boro are showing signs of improvement under Tony Mowbray and this result extended their unbeaten league run to five matches.
And Phil Brown's men will also take heart from their battling display.
Aside from Lita's chance, genuine opportunities were scarce throughout the opening half.
After the restart, Boro sought to up the tempo after the restart but Julio Arca rifled wide from 20 yards.
Boro began to increase the pressure and finally struck with 19 minutes remaining when Bates advanced forward from defence and hit a right-foot shot that flew in.
Yet Preston refused to lie down and Jones headed in to ensure the sides shared the spoils.
Live text and stats
Saturday, 22 January 2011
Npower Championship
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Middlesbrough
1-1
Preston
FT
(HT 0-0)
Bates 71
Jones 88
Middlesbrough
30 Steele
04 Bates
24 Hines
26 A Taylor
27 Bennett
29 McMahon
10 Bailey
17 Robson (Arca 46)
18 O'Neil
09 Boyd (Emnes 62)
15 Lita
Substitutes
39 Ripley,
23 Grounds,
20 Arca,
33 Smallwood,
38 Park,
16 Miller,
32 Emnes
Preston
01 Lonergan
02 Morgan
04 St. Ledger
19 Jones yellow card
29 Cort
37 McLaughlin yellow card
10 Nicholson
17 Parry
20 Russell (Barton 74)
08 Hayes (Ellington 55)
16 Hume (Mayor 70 yellow card)
Substitutes
25 Arestidou,
05 Brown,
14 Mayor,
15 Barton,
41 Carter,
18 Ellington,
30 Douglas
Ref: RussellAtt: 16,157
MIDDLESBROUGH
PRESTON
Possession
Middlesbrough62%
Preston38%
Attempts on target
Middlesbrough11
Preston5
Attempts off target
Middlesbrough9
Preston0
Corners
Middlesbrough5
Preston3
Fouls
Middlesbrough9
Preston11
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+5:13 The referee ends the match.
90:00+4:40 Sean St. Ledger fouled by Gary O'Neil, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Andy Lonergan.
90:00+4:16 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Nicky Bailey by Leon Cort. Direct free kick taken by Nicky Bailey.
90:00+2:30 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Joe Bennett by Barry Nicholson. Strike on goal comes in from Joe Bennett from the free kick.
90:00+1:53 Tony McMahon crosses the ball, clearance made by Sean St. Ledger.
90:00+0:06 The ball is delivered by Tony McMahon.
89:04 Nathan Ellington is caught offside. Jason Steele takes the indirect free kick.
88:14 Booking Billy Jones is booked.
87:01 The assist for the goal came from Conor McLaughlin.
87:01 GOAL - Billy Jones:Middlesbrough 1 - 1 Preston Billy Jones finds the back of the net with a headed goal from close range. Middlesbrough 1-1 Preston.
86:50 Danny Mayor crosses the ball, clearance made by Seb Hines.
85:58 Effort on goal by Tony McMahon from inside the box misses to the right of the target.
85:19 Corner taken short by Gary O'Neil.
85:07 The ball is swung over by Tony McMahon, clearance by Conor McLaughlin.
84:20 Conor McLaughlin delivers the ball, clearance made by Nicky Bailey.
81:15 Julio Arca challenges Sean St. Ledger unfairly and gives away a free kick. Andy Lonergan takes the direct free kick.
80:55 Andrew Taylor sends in a cross, Leroy Lita takes a shot. Blocked by Andy Lonergan.
77:16 Free kick awarded for a foul by Marvin Emnes on Sean St. Ledger. Direct free kick taken by Andy Lonergan.
76:43 Sean St. Ledger challenges Nicky Bailey unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Jason Steele.
76:17 Joe Bennett gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Conor McLaughlin. Direct free kick taken by Barry Nicholson.
74:27 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Joe Bennett by Danny Mayor. Direct free kick taken by Julio Arca.
74:27 Booking Danny Mayor goes into the referee's book for unsporting behaviour.
73:07 Substitution Adam Barton is brought on as a substitute for Darel Russell.
72:54 The ball is delivered by Danny Mayor.
70:41 GOAL - Matthew Bates:Middlesbrough 1 - 0 Preston Goal scored by Matthew Bates from just inside the area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Middlesbrough 1-0 Preston.
69:56 A cross is delivered by Gary O'Neil, clearance made by Craig Morgan.
69:01 Substitution Danny Mayor joins the action as a substitute, replacing Iain Hume.
68:40 Andrew Taylor crosses the ball, Shot by Marvin Emnes from deep inside the penalty area misses to the right of the goal.
67:58 Marvin Emnes takes a shot. Save by Andy Lonergan.
66:54 Shot from outside the area by Andrew Taylor misses to the left of the target.
64:16 The ball is sent over by Tony McMahon, Conor McLaughlin manages to make a clearance.
63:42 The ball is sent over by Tony McMahon, clearance by Leon Cort.
61:29 Substitution Marvin Emnes comes on in place of Kris Boyd.
61:18 Tony McMahon produces a left-footed shot from the edge of the area and misses to the left of the goal.
60:04 Nicky Bailey delivers the ball.
59:47 The ball is swung over by Tony McMahon, clearance by Craig Morgan.
59:14 Corner taken by Gary O'Neil from the right by-line to the near post, Darel Russell makes a clearance.
58:56 The ball is swung over by Tony McMahon, Billy Jones gets a block in.
56:42 Billy Jones takes a shot. Save made by Jason Steele.
55:56 Centre by Andrew Taylor, Leroy Lita takes a shot. Save made by Andy Lonergan.
54:05 Foul by Nicky Bailey on Billy Jones, free kick awarded. Andy Lonergan takes the direct free kick.
54:05 Substitution Paul Hayes leaves the field to be replaced by Nathan Ellington.
53:49 The ball is sent over by Leroy Lita, clearance by Sean St. Ledger.
52:35 The offside flag is raised against Paul Hayes. Matthew Bates takes the direct free kick.
52:08 Tony McMahon sends in a cross, clearance made by Sean St. Ledger.
51:07 Booking Booking for Conor McLaughlin.
Correction - 50:33 Joe Bennett fouled by Conor McLaughlin, the ref awards a free kick. Gary O'Neil takes the direct free kick.
50:33 Conor McLaughlin concedes a free kick for a foul on Joe Bennett. Free kick taken by Gary O'Neil.
50:00 A cross is delivered by Tony McMahon, clearance by Craig Morgan.
48:40 Iain Hume fouled by Seb Hines, the ref awards a free kick. Barry Nicholson takes the free kick.
48:04 Shot from just outside the box by Julio Arca misses to the right of the goal.
46:50 Julio Arca takes a inswinging corner.
46:45 Tony McMahon delivers the ball, Craig Morgan manages to make a clearance.
45:01 The referee gets the second half started.
45:01 Substitution Barry Robson goes off and Julio Arca comes on.
Half Time
45:00+1:17 The match has reached half-time.
44:09 Inswinging corner taken by Iain Hume from the left by-line.
43:57 Paul Parry takes a shot. Blocked by Seb Hines.
42:56 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Paul Parry by Gary O'Neil. Andy Lonergan takes the free kick.
42:37 The ball is delivered by Tony McMahon, clearance made by Craig Morgan.
41:13 Iain Hume takes a shot. Save by Jason Steele.
40:36 Long distance shot from Barry Robson misses to the left of the target.
Correction - 40:14 Leroy Lita takes a shot. Save made by Andy Lonergan.
40:14 Leroy Lita takes a shot. Clearance by Leon Cort.
39:57 Nicky Bailey takes a shot. Save by Andy Lonergan.
38:32 Centre by Tony McMahon, Billy Jones manages to make a clearance.
36:57 Conor McLaughlin sends in a cross, clearance by Matthew Bates.
35:57 Barry Robson takes a shot. Andy Lonergan makes a save.
35:41 Centre by Joe Bennett, Tony McMahon takes a shot. Craig Morgan gets a block in.
34:29 The official flags Kris Boyd offside. Andy Lonergan takes the free kick.
34:18 Joe Bennett sends in a cross.
33:26 Barry Robson fouled by Paul Parry, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Gary O'Neil.
32:53 Leroy Lita takes a shot. Clearance made by Leon Cort.
32:20 Corner from the left by-line taken by Iain Hume, clearance made by Barry Robson.
32:01 Paul Parry takes a shot. Save made by Jason Steele.
31:01 Tony McMahon crosses the ball, free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Leon Cort by Leroy Lita. Free kick taken by Andy Lonergan.
30:54 Centre by Joe Bennett, clearance by Sean St. Ledger.
29:09 Paul Hayes is caught offside. Jason Steele takes the free kick.
25:38 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Gary O'Neil by Darel Russell. Nicky Bailey takes the direct free kick.
23:47 Kris Boyd is ruled offside. Andy Lonergan takes the direct free kick.
23:24 The ball is sent over by Tony McMahon, save by Andy Lonergan.
21:02 Effort from outside the penalty box by Leroy Lita goes wide right of the goal.
20:39 Tony McMahon delivers the ball, Conor McLaughlin makes a clearance.
20:09 Foul by Sean St. Ledger on Leroy Lita, free kick awarded. Gary O'Neil takes the free kick.
18:25 Gary O'Neil takes a shot. Save by Andy Lonergan.
18:16 Corner taken by Gary O'Neil.
17:50 The ball is swung over by Joe Bennett, Gary O'Neil takes a shot. Blocked by Sean St. Ledger.
17:13 Conor McLaughlin delivers the ball, save made by Jason Steele.
15:28 Effort from the edge of the area by Kris Boyd goes wide of the left-hand post.
12:46 Corner taken by Gary O'Neil, clearance made by Conor McLaughlin.
10:09 The ball is sent over by Conor McLaughlin, blocked by Andrew Taylor.
9:10 The ball is swung over by Andrew Taylor, comfortable save by Andy Lonergan.
7:44 Free kick awarded for a foul by Craig Morgan on Leroy Lita. Direct free kick taken by Seb Hines.
7:16 Foul by Gary O'Neil on Paul Parry, free kick awarded. Sean St. Ledger takes the free kick.
4:58 Seb Hines fouled by Paul Hayes, the ref awards a free kick. Matthew Bates restarts play with the free kick.
4:07 Free kick awarded for a foul by Paul Hayes on Tony McMahon. Free kick taken by Tony McMahon.
2:09 Corner taken by Iain Hume from the left by-line to the near post, Kris Boyd makes a clearance.
1:48 The ball is swung over by Iain Hume, clearance made by Seb Hines.
0:00 The match has kicked off.
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