Emil Riis (right) scored just after half-time for Preston
A superb goal from Emil Riis earned Preston North End a point at home to Millwall in the Championship.
The Danish striker fired in from long range early in the second half after Mihailo Ivanovic had scored an equally impressive opener, dipping a 25 yard free-kick over the home side's defensive wall in the first half.
Both teams knew that a win would put them four points off the play-off places in the Championship table, but the two goals were rare moments of quality in a workmanlike game.
Preston, who had manager Paul Heckingbottom in the stand as he serves a touchline ban, called striker Milutin Osmajic - subject of an FA investigation - off the substitutes' bench at half-time as they sought to come from behind.
The stats suggested that this was always going to be a tight affair, with Millwall having drawn half of their 16 away games and the Lilywhites having done the same in nine of their 17 at Deepdale, where they have also struggled to score goals.
Both sides have been eking out results however, with Preston now unbeaten at home in the last 12 games in all competitions and the Lions having lost just one of their last eight, but they simply cancelled each other out.
Millwall goalkeeper Lukas Jensen did well to turn an early Riis shot round the post, but the Londoners also had opportunities, with Ivanovic bouncing a header off the crossbar from a raking Joe Bryan cross
With set pieces always going to be a big factor in the game, Preston almost forced an opener as Liam Lindsay's far-post header from a corner was turned goalwards by Lewis GIbson. His prod was blocked on the line and in the ensuing melee Ryan Porteous could only hook the ball over the bar.
Millwall came up with the first moment of real quality in the match five minutes before the break, as Preston developed a bad habit of conceding free-kicks around their own penalty area. Bryan had hit the wall from two of them but Ivanovic took the third and found the top corner.
The Serb scored the only goal in away wins at Luton and Portsmouth last month, but this time the lead lasted less than two minutes after half-time, as Preston threw on Osmajic to give his side a more physical presence up front.
That paid as Japhet Tanganga failed to deal with a high ball, and as it fell Riis who caught it beautifully on the volley to send it bouncing beyond Jensen and into the corner of the net.
Preston looked most likely to win it as Osmajic fired one chance over the bar, and in added time Will Keane failed to get a clean connection on Robbie Brady's whipped free-kick and then Kaine Kesler-Hayden dragged a shot wide.
Post-match reaction
Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom:
"We were certainly the dominant team but it's a positive point having gone behind to a team who defend really well.
"It's a positive point and there were some good performances from a lot of the players as well.
"It's not a free-kick that they score from. That's the frustration. Ali (McCann) kicks it away with his left foot. That's another reason that I'm pleased with the point in the end.
"For all the ball we had, we lacked penetration. It was more about risking the ball, being a bit more direct and putting our three (attackers) in the middle of the pitch high up."
Millwall manager Alex Neil told BBC Radio London:
"It was a tough match, they have a really strong record at home and have lost one in 15, but it was a strange game in that we looked more dangerous when they had their best spells.
"We hit the bar with a header and then had a great free kick that ends up in the back of the net.
"It was relatively even in terms of opportunities but they dominated the ball and were the team that controlled the game in that sense.
"Their goal was an opportune moment where Riis has smashed it from 25 yards, a great finish and it ends in the back of the net.
"We can play better but a point is not to be snuffed at coming here."
