Preston North End 2-1 Middlesbrough: Michael Carrick loses first match in charge of Boro

Michael Carrick tasted defeat in his first match as Boro boss

Jordan Storey struck a stoppage-time winner to condemn Middlesbrough to defeat in Michael Carrick's first match in charge.

Chuba Akpom gave Carrick a dream start with a close-range header but Emil Riis thumped home to equalise before half-time.

Both teams spurned chances before Akpom conceded a last-gasp free-kick from which Storey headed home to secure North End's second home win in nine attempts.

Boro remain out of the drop zone on goal difference while Preston are within three points of the play-off places.

Preston boss Ryan Lowe recalled Alan Browne and Robbie Brady, while in his first line-up Hayden Hackney, Riley McGree and Rodrigo Muniz were handed starts by Carrick.

Boro began brightly and Akpom was denied by a block from Storey inside six minutes, but he broke the deadlock just two minutes later as he was on hand to nod home at the far post after Darragh Lenihan had flicked on a near-post corner from Ryan Giles.

Brady saw a deflected shot held by Boro keeper Zack Steffen and sent a promising free-kick into the wall shortly after, while Dael Fry managed to block on the line when Alvaro Fernandez squared to Ben Woodburn in the area just before the half-hour.

The equaliser arrived 10 minutes before the break as the visitors failed to deal with a high free-kick into the box allowing Riis to lash the loose ball into the roof of the net on his 100th league appearance for the Lilywhites.

Akpom fired a first-time shot narrowly off target after a good cross from Giles at the other end, while Woodburn fizzed a long-range curling strike past the upright from an angle after a layoff from Brady just before the interval.

Jordan Storey heads home the winner

It took a while for the game to get going after the break and it was not until the hour mark that Muniz saw a toe-poked effort deflected behind following a cross from McGree out wide.

Another inviting cross from Giles was nodded over by Muniz soon after while the hosts thought they had turned it around on 66 minutes, only for Browne's strike, on his 350th appearance for the club, to be ruled out for offside against Riis.

A Brady pullback to Woodburn ended with a shot over Steffen's bar with 20 minutes remaining and the keeper got down well to deny Fernandez's strike nine minutes later.

Akpom drove forward but fired off target once again but it was he who conceded a free-kick in his own half in added time that was nodded back across goal for Storey to head in to spark wild celebrations in the home end.

Middlesbrough's Tommy Smith couldn't hide his dismay

Preston had lost three of their previous four games and only scored twice at Deepdale in eight previous appearances this season.

Carrick became the first Boro boss in four to lose his opening game in charge. Jonathan Woodgate, Neil Warnock and Chris Wilder all won theirs since Tony Pulis lost his first match in December 2017.

Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe told the club's social media team:

"I said to the group the performances have been good, we just haven't had the results. Overall I'm pleased with the group. We had a week to get some freshness into them, and the lads took everything on board today to beat a team with good players and a new manager.

"We've found a way and been resolute, we changed it at half-time in terms of changing those on the left and right around and it paid off.

"I think we've sent the fans home happy today. They were fantastic, I thought when we went a goal down they stuck with the group and we need that, that bit of patience is recognised by the group and they respond and it certainly helped us get the result."

Boro boss Michael Carrick told BBC Radio Tees:

"I knew it wasn't going to be a fairy tale or all straightforward - I would have been very naïve if I'd thought that.

"It was a tough game, I thought Preston played some good stuff and caused us some problems. Going 1-0 up gave us something to hold on to in some ways rather than doing what we were trying to do with the ball. We looked a lot more comfortable in the second half at times.

"We'd have probably settled for a point given the way the game's gone and the week we've had but of course losing, it stings a lot.

"We've got a lot to build on, it's very early days. I'm getting to know the players and they're getting to know me and the staff and the direction we want to go in - you can't expect the first half to be too perfect. We just needed that extra little spark around the box to look ultra dangerous. Small steps, but we'll be looking to improve."