Preston North End twice came from behind to defeat Sheffield Wednesday 3-2 in a captivating Championship encounter at Hillsborough, with substitute Mads Frokjaer-Jensen drilling a late winner after Charlie McNeill had missed the chance to complete a hat-trick from the penalty spot. McNeill's first two goals of the season had given the bottom club the lead on two occasions, only for Ben Whiteman and Lewis Dobbin to haul the visitors level before Frokjaer-Jensen settled a five-goal thriller.
The victory gives Preston their first win in four league games and nudges Paul Heckingbottom's side up to fifth, re-energising a play-off push that had stalled in recent weeks. For Wednesday, still on minus four points and 22 adrift of safety, this was another agonising afternoon: Henrik Pedersen hailed what he felt was his team's best first-half display of the campaign, yet a combination of missed chances and one pivotal penalty save from Daniel Iversen meant they are still without a home league win.
Breathless start as McNeill strikes twice
The contest began at a frantic pace, with three goals arriving inside the opening quarter of an hour. Wednesday, searching for that elusive first home league victory, struck first when Liam Palmer released Manchester United loanee Harry Amass down the left. Amass drove into the box and had the composure to pull the ball back to the unmarked McNeill, who took a touch and curled a precise finish into the far corner for his first goal of the campaign.