Phillipe Clement rues ‘cruellest scenario in football’ as Norwich denied victory

Phillipe Clement rued the “cruellest” of endings as Norwich conceded an equaliser with seconds of added time remaining to draw 1-1 with with Preston at Deepdale.

Substitute Will Keane nodded North End level from close range six minutes into stoppage time after Jovon Makama thought he had won it for the visitors.

Makama latched on to Emiliano Marcondes’ delicate clipped pass before slamming the ball past Daniel Iversen in the 84th minute.

Clement said: “I think it’s the cruellest scenario you can have in football – to lose points, not in the dying minutes, but in the dying seconds of the game. The last seconds really. Of course it’s a hard one to take because the team put in a good performance today.

“I think the result after this game is a deserved result – both teams deserved this point – but if you’re leading them at the end of the game and you score a good goal (it’s tough).”

Saturday’s draw means Norwich have lost just once in six games as they bid to climb out of relegation trouble and Clement says there are lessons to learn from their late setback.

On the equaliser, he said: “I need to look back at the images, but I think we had too many players in front of the ball in the dying seconds.

“It was the enthusiasm of the young lads that we have in this squad, so they need to take lessons out of that and we need to discuss this.

“We were in the corner and they need to know we can’t allow this transition. We could also do better in our box. There are points to be taken there, but it’s also important not to forget all the good things they did in this game.”

Preston assistant manager Stuart McCall was delighted with the fighting spirit his side showed.

He said: “Naturally, they’re feeling very good, especially the lads who were involved in the goal. Both Will (Keane) and (Brad Potts) have been out for a long, long time so I’m absolutely delighted for both of them.

“In fact, it was the three subs that combined – (Andrija Vukcevic’s) crossed it, Pottsy won a great header and Keano being in the box. There’s no pace on the cross, it’s a really good header, kind of looping at the goal, and it’s a great finish. Naturally, it’s a good feeling.

“I don’t think it’s a game we deserved to lose. I think it’s a tight game on a really difficult surface. Not a lot of chances at both ends.

“We’ve seen since (Clement’s) been in at Norwich that they’ve improved dramatically so, regardless of the league table, we know they’re a really difficult opponent. We’ll take a point.

“One thing about the lads is that they never know when they’re beaten and they keep at it.”