REFEREE Eddie Ilderton handed lacklustre Derby an early Christmas present when he rescued a point for them at Pride Park.

The 'man in the middle' awarded an 81st minute penalty to the home side after deciding Preston's defender Youl Mawene had handled the ball.

Tommy Smith managed to block out the protests from North End's players and the dugout to bury the ball beyond keeper Carlo Nash.

It was an incredible let-off for Derby, who had looked a shadow of the side which gave North End such a run for their money in the play-off semi finals in May.

And Mr Ilderton's decision failed to take account for the fact Mawene, a former Derby player, appeared to be looking the other way at the time of the incident.

Had the second half mirrored the lacklustre first, then Smith's penalty would have been a match winner.

But David Nugent signalled North End's intent to get a goal just seconds after the re-start, when he burst through before blasting wide.

Adam Nowland and Mawene also went close before Chris Sedgwick's corner was headed beyond Lee Camp by confident Claude Davis in the 55th minute.

After the game, Mawene said: "It was really surprising when he gave handball. The ball did hit my hand but I was not even looking at it.

"It is so disappointing when you work so hard and the referee gives a decision like that against you.

"I didn't know anything about it. Someone tried to head the cross clear and I was facing the other way. I couldn't even see the ball, so it was not deliberate."

Boss Billy Davies said: "From start to finish we controlled the game so to lose two points like that is hard to take.

"It is another away game in which we deserved three points so to end up with only one is disappointing."