Oli McBurnie earns point for Hull as Preston pegged back

Preston missed the chance to move up to second in the Sky Bet Championship after squandering a 2-0 lead at Hull to draw 2-2 following Oli McBurnie’s second-half brace.

The Lilywhites avoided relegation by a single point last season but they have been the early surprise package in this campaign and went two up inside 10 minutes through Thierry Small and Michael Smith.

Hull, who stayed up last season on goal difference alone, were rejuvenated after the break following three half-time substitutions and the in-form McBurnie’s double saw the spoils shared.

McBurnie now has six goals this season and his efforts, both from low crosses by Ryan Giles, stopped Preston from moving behind only Middlesbrough in the table after those above them also dropped points.

They remain sixth after blowing a clear advantage, all the more surprising given their early success has been shaped by a parsimonious defence which had conceded five goals in their previous seven games.

They had scored on just seven occasions in that time but two more were quickly added to the tally, with Small putting Paul Heckingbottom’s side in front after just three minutes at the MKM Stadium.

Alfie Devine’s inswinging corner created havoc and Lewie Coyle was only able to head as far as Small, who took a touch with his left then speared a shot across Ivor Pandur and into the far corner.

Pandur might not have been able to do much about Small’s effort but he was culpable for Preston’s second, dithering on the ball before hastily clearing only as far as Ben Whiteman.

All was not lost but Hull’s flat-footed defenders allowed Whiteman to drift to the edge of the box and pass sideways to Smith, who picked his spot low past a stationary Pandur.

Hull gradually improved but frequent misplaced passes brought groans in the stands, as did Kasey Palmer failing to clear the first man at a corner before he later fired a free-kick straight into the wall.

With Hull booed off at the break, Sergej Jakirovic sent on Regan Slater, Joe Gelhardt and Liam Millar and they charged out of the traps as Preston had done earlier.

They halved the deficit with their first shot on target, McBurnie bagging his fourth goal in four matches after controlling Giles’ low cross before dispatching beyond Daniel Iversen after 48 minutes.

Gelhardt, whose two penalties secured a crucial 2-1 win over North End in April, saw a swirling 25-yard free-kick punched out by Iversen as Hull, now roared on by the crowd, sought a leveller.

Millar, making his first appearance since October 23 last year, had a shot deflect wide while Devine missed a glorious chance to restore Preston’s two-goal cushion when he rifled over from close range.

It was a costly miss as McBurnie levelled in the 74th minute. Giles was once again the provider with another teasing low cross from the left wing to the striker, who fired high into the net.

Hull, who move up to 16th, might have won it at the death but John Lundstram’s 25-yard piledriver was clawed away by Iversen, diving at full stretch.