Due to a ridiculously high train prices I decided to miss out on this game and save the money. When the teams were announced on the QPR web site a few minutes before kick off I was happy I'd stayed at home.

Ian Evatt partnered Dan Shittu in central defence but a bizarre looking midfield was selected with Gallen back on the right wing, Lomas and Santos in central midfield and Lee Cook on the left. Marc Nygaaard replaced Stefan Moore up front.

An instant outcry began on the message boards with calls for the manager's head and even his biggest supporters were left scratching their heads as to why Santos was in midfield ahead of Langley, Doherty and even Stefan Bailey.

Still as they say football is played on grass not on paper and as it turned out Rangers played some of their best football of the season proving that perhaps the critics on the internet don't always know best.

Perhaps Ollie had watched the England game in midweek but the move of a central defender as a holding midfield player certainly worked allowing Gallen and Cook to get forward and with the team playing a strong pressing game Rangers started the game closing the opposition down to win the ball back and when we had it we kept possession well in midfield.

Lomas was impressive as the more advanced of the central midfield players and Rangers looked the more likely side to open the scoring. A Lee Cook free kick was floated in but just missed the head of Evatt whilst Nygaard and Furlong both had efforts saved from weak shots.

Nygaard put the ball in the back of the net but was ruled offside, a decision that not many will dispute. Preston weren't really in the game as an attacking force as Rangers defended well and looked on control.

Lee Cook had our best chance of the half as he raced through and fired in a shot, which was well saved by Carlo Nash. Nygaard and Furlong also went close before half time approached.

Preston began to push on before the break and it took an excellent tackle by the impressive Lloyd Dyer to deny McKenna. At half time Rangers were pleased with the performance but needed to turn the possession into goals.

The home side started the second half a little brighter as Shittu did well to prevent Agyemang from giving his side the lead. Marc Nygaard almost put into his own net with a casual chest past his own post from a free kick.

Rangers continued to had the better of the game though and suffered a blow when Steve Lomas limped off with a hamstring injury. Tom Doherty replaced him in a straight swap and was lucky to avoid a booking with his first miss-timed tackle.

Paul Furlong was denied a penalty went sent clean through and brought down from behind but the referee waved play on much to both sets of player's astonishment.

Rangers began to push for the opening goal and were looking dangerous from set pieces. Lee Cook's delivery found set up chances for Nygaard and Shittu who headed over.

We did grab the lead though and just like the last three away games it came from a Lee Cook set piece. Cook put in a good corner from the right and Dan Shittu rose above the keeper to give Rangers a deserved lead.

It should have been 2-0 a few minutes later when a Nygaard flick on sent Gallen clear but his shot was well saved by Nash. Gareth Ainsworth was brought on for Lee Cook with Gallen moving wide left but the game looked won for Rangers with Preston offering very little as an attacking force until the final few minutes.

On loan midfielder David Jones almost equalised through a good shot from the edge of the area, which Royce did well to save. Royce was again at his best to turn over a stunning shot onto the bar and wide.

As the 90minute mark was reached we tried to keep possession and take all three points but sloppy passing in midfield allowed Preston to break and Dyer again reacted well to concede a corner.

From the corner Preston got level as goalkeeper Carlo Nash came forward and forced Royce into a mistake and allowed Mawene to give his side an undeserved point.

They almost nicked all three with another late corner which goalkeeper Carlo Nash again came forward for but Royce was equal to it on that occasion.

So in the end a point which is not a bad result but the players and fans will be disappointed that they didn't get the three points they deserved. Still it was an improved performance and that's four games unbeaten now on our travels.

Hopefully the team will be able to recapture our home form on Tuesday when Plymouth come to town in a game we need to win.