Rolls back the years in Deepdale epic
no spring chicken but I do look after myself even though I am 34 in September,” said the Scot.
“I don’t want to give my shirt to any young lad. One day I will have to hang up my boots but hopefully it’s a long time off.
“I am not going to lie down and think, ‘I am not playing any more’.
“I always have a pride in myself. If I wasn’t good enough or fit enough I would be the first to tell the manager.
“However, I am still hungry and I love proving people wrong. When people say, ‘He’s too old’, I like going out on the pitch and letting that do the talking.”
You could not point an accusing finger at Gallagher – or, for that matter, at either side – for a lack of effort.
There was plenty of endeavour mixed in with minor tussles and niggling challenges. It was definitely not for the faint-hearted with referee Andy Madley – brother of official Bobby, who quit his role this week – kept whistle happy as tempers boiled over.
When normal service resumed, the football was fast and furious, too, with Stoke coming agonisingly close to a seventh-minute opener with goal-shy Saido Berahino’s header parried by keeper Declan Rudd.
Preston roared back and Callum Robinson’s nodded effort bounced beyond the post before Stoke No.1 Butland showed his England class with a double save from Alan Browne.
But in the 38th minute the deadlock was broken when Tom Edwards handled and Gallagher blasted home the spot-kick.
Four minutes later, Stoke were level when Erik Pieters thumped past Rudd as he latched on to a loose ball – a brief taste of elation for the 3,076 travelling fans.
In added time of the first half, Graham Burke reacted superbly to a pinging ball which was not cleared and lashed beyond Butland with a vicious left-foot volley.
And in the 61st-minute, Joe Allen delivered the perfect free kick for sub Crouch to equalise with a trademark header moments after coming off the bench.
It left 18th-placed Stoke still searching for their first win of the season.
(3pm unless stated)
PREMIER LEAGUE
WWWDWL ......................... Arsenal West Ham .............................. LLDLWL LWDLWW ......... AFC Bournemouth Everton ................................ LWDWLD WWDWWL ......................... Fulham Burnley .................................. WDLDdd dLWLLL ...................... Huddersfield Cardiff ................................... DLWLWL WWWdWW ..................... Liverpool Brighton ................................... LLdLLL
(5:30pm)
WWWLWL ..................... Newcastle Chelsea .............................. DWWWLW (Playing Sunday, 4pm)
LdLWLd .................... Southampton Leicester ............................... WWLLLL WDLdWW .......................... Watford Crystal Palace ..................... LWDdWW (Playing Sunday, 1:30pm)
Wolves v Man City (12:30pm), Man United v Tottenham Hotspur (Monday 8pm)
SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP
WWDdLW ...................... Aston Villa Reading ................................... LLLLdL WWWWWd .................... Blackburn Brentford ............................ WWDLDW WLLLWD .............................. Bolton Sheffield United .................... DLLWLW WLWWWL ............................ Derby Preston North End ............... WLLWWL LWLWLW ........................... Norwich Leeds ..................................... DLLLLW WWdDWD ................. Nottm Forest Birmingham ............................ WLLLLL
(5:30pm)
WWLWLW .............................. QPR Wigan .................................. WWDWLL DWLWWD ............... Sheffield Wed Ipswich ................................... LLLWLD LLLDLD ................................. Stoke Hull ...................................... DWDDDD LDLLLW ........................... Swansea Bristol City ............................. dDLLdD
Middlesbrough v West Brom (Friday
7:45pm), Rotherham v Millwall (Sunday 12:30pm)
SKY BET LEAGUE ONE
LDWDDd .............. AFC Wimbledon Sunderland ........................... LWDDLD WWWDLW ...................... Blackpool Accrington Stanley ............... WWLLWL dWWLDL .......................... Bradford Wycombe ............................ WdWdWL DDDDLW ................. Bristol Rovers Southend ............................. LLLWWD WWLWLW ........................ Charlton Fleetwood Town .................... LWLLWD DLLdLW ......................... Doncaster Portsmouth .......................... WDdLLW ddLLWW ........................ Gillingham Coventry .............................. LWWWdL LWWWWD ............................. Luton Shrewsbury ........................... LdDWDL dLWWLW .................. Oxford United Burton Albion ........................ LDWLLW WWWdWD ...................... Plymouth Peterborough ......................... LLLLWL LdDDWL .......................... Rochdale Walsall .................................. DLDLDW WWDDDL .................... Scunthorpe Barnsley ................................. LLLLWL
SKY BET LEAGUE TWO
WLWWWL ......... Cambridge United Cheltenham .......................... WWLLLL DLDDDL ............................. Carlisle Crewe ................................... WLWLWL LWLLdW ........................ Colchester Nor thampton ......................... LLWLDD LLDLLL ..................... Crawley Town Bury ...................................... LDDDLD LWLWLD .................... Forest Green Swindon ................................. WLDLdL WdWDdW .................... Lincoln City Notts County ......................... LWLDLD WWDWLD .................. Macclesfield Mansfield ............................. LLDWWD dLLLWW ......... Milton Keynes Dons Exeter ................................... WDLdLW dDDdLL ....................... Morecambe Oldham .................................. LddDDD DLWWWW ............ Newport County Grimsby ............................... LLLWWW WLLDWL ......................... Tranmere Port Vale ................................ DdDDLL LLdLDL ................................. Yeovil Stevenage ............................. dWLLWL
LADBROKES SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP
LWWWWD ............................. Celtic Hamilton ................................ LLLLWW
(Playing Sunday, 3pm)
WDWWWd ..................... Hibernian Aberdeen ............................ LLWWDW WLWdWW .................... Kilmarnock Hearts ................................... LLLWDW WLWWWL .................... Motherwell Rangers ............................... LDDdWD
(Playing Sunday, 12:15pm) dDDdWD ................... St Johnstone Dundee ................................ LLWWWL dLWDWW ........................ St Mirren Livingston ............................. LWWWdL
LADBROKES SCOTTISH CHAMPIONSHIP WLWWWW ............................... Ayr Dunfermline ....................... DLWWWW
Dundee United v Partick, Falkirk v Queen of South, Inverness CT v Alloa, Morton v Ross County
Southampton, Derby, Sheff Wed, Charlton, Oxford United, Carlisle, Milton Keynes Dons, Tranmere, Hibernian, St Johnstone
Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Nottm Forest, Cambridge United, Colchester, Forest Green, Lincoln City, Celtic, St Mirren
Chelsea, Leeds, Peterborough, Mansfield, Stevenage, Rangers