A second half brace from Ched Evans salvaged City a point after North End looked set for victory in a thoroughly entertaining Pontins League clash.

The Lilywhites led 3-1 when Patrick Agyemang added to earlier strikes from Andy Carroll and Neil Mellor, but the powerful Evans netted twice in the last twenty minutes to send everyone home satisfied after an even 90 minutes.

City had led from as early as the first minute, with a cool header from Ben Mee providing the perfect start for the Mancunians. The young centre half, who had stayed up from a corner, nodded in a pinpoint delivery from Paul Marshall.

The strong Preston side - containing eight professionals - came close to levelling when the impressive Mike Aspin threaded a low cross into the centre, but Carroll narrowly failed to connect.

Paul Gallagher, making his first reserve appearance for PNE, whipped a free kick wide of the right post from the edge of the box after Neil Mellor had taken a tumble, but the hosts were soon on an even keel.

Andy Carroll levelled after a great dummy from Neil Mellor. The former Liverpool man allowed a Lewis Neal ball to run through his legs, which left Carroll free at the far post. His left footed finish was expertly placed to beat Greg Hartley at the near post.

Clayton McDonald had a great opportunity to regain the lead almost instantly but his close range effort was directed straight at Chris Neal.

Mellor turned the scoreline in PNE's favour with a predatory finish from close range. Patrick Agyemang, playing wide right, linked up well with the lively Andy Carroll before whipping a right winged cross straight onto the striker's toes, four yards out.

Agyemang and Gallagher went close with long range efforts whilst the youthful back four of Mike Aspin, Dylan Adams, Dominic Collins and Mark Bloxham looked more comfortable as the half wore on.

Danny Pugh was booked for a late tackle and Chris Neal was equal to a jinking run and shot by Ashley Grimes on 40 minutes.

It was the start of an intense five minute spell from the visitors which saw Laird hit the crossbar and Neal palm away an Evans shot. The PNE defence weathered the storm going in at half time 2-1 to the good.

Neil Mellor was denied shortly after the re-start when Greg Hartley dived low to his right to produce a fingertip save, but Patrick Agyemang made it 3-1 on 60 minutes, reacting first to a deflected Gallagher free kick. The Scotsman was handed an ideal chance from a dead ball situation 20 yards out, but when the wall partially blocked the chance it only succeeded in landing at the feet of the Ghanaian forward who swept it in from six yards out.

As the half ebbed and flowed, City pulled it back to 3-2 with a swift free-flowing move. Kieran Trippier sprinted down the right and swept back a low cross for the onrushing Evans to tuck away low into the right hand corner of the net.

With just nine minutes remaining, Evans levelled matters with a superb banana-shot that gave Chris Neal no chance. The strike, off the outside of the striker's left boot, curled through a crowd of bodies, and the North End stopper was unsighted as the swerve gave him little chance of making a stop.

The visitors made a concerted effort to try and snatch victory in the dying moments, with Chris Neal turning Evans' hat-trick attempt around the post and Ashley Grimes striking the crossbar as the second ticked away.

PNE: Chris Neal, Aspin, Adams, Collins, Bloxham, Pugh (capt), Agyemang, Gallagher, Carroll, Mellor, Lewis Neal. Subs: Fairhurst, Thompson, Appiah, Higgins, McMahon.

Man City: Hartley, Vidal, Williamson (capt), Mee, McDonald, Laird, Etuhu, Marshall, Evans, Grimes, Ball. Subs: Morris, Clegg, Kay, Poole, Tsiaklis.