Paul Smyth scored a dramatic last-minute equaliser as Queens Park Rangers came from behind to deny managerless Preston North End what would have been only their second win of the season.

Johnny Kenny had put the visitors 2-0 up in their first match since the sacking of boss Paul Heckingbottom last Sunday.

With less than a minute on the clock, Kenny latched on to Stan Mills' hopeful long ball and drove through the QPR defence before calming slotting past Pierce Charles.

Shortly after the Hoops were reduced to 10 men following a dangerous foul by Dennis Cirkin, Kenny struck again as the new signing spun in the box before firing home to double the Lilywhites' lead.

Kwame Poku pulled a deserved goal back for the home side midway through the second half.

Then, with the game going into injury time, Smyth managed to find space in the visitors' box to convert in the 90th minute and secure QPR a point to leave the travelling fans disconsolate.

Preston remain in 23rd, ahead of Burnley on points difference, while QPR move up to fifth.

Before the match, Preston interim boss Jason Euell said he was looking to put "things right" after a run of six defeats in seven games, and he got an instant response from his players.

When the QPR defence were caught napping, Kenny powered his way towards goal, and with only Charles to beat he fired into the bottom left corner from close range.

Looking for a quick equaliser, QPR dominated possession but wasted a string of opportunities with Cirkin having an effort blocked, before Jonathan Varane headed over minutes later.

That proved to be the end of Cirkin's positive involvement, with the defender promptly shown a straight red card for a dangerous late tackle on Leo Leroy.

Pounding on a loose ball in the QPR box, Kenny then got his second. The striker had no difficulty in turning his defender before lashing the ball into the net to the delight of the travelling supporters.

Two goals adrift, the Hoops laid siege to the Preston goal after the break, with Amadou Mbengue and Koki Saito both squandering chances, before Poku finally got the hosts on the board - his low drive from outside the box proving too good for Daniel Iversen.

With the clock running down, Preston went close to adding a third when Andrija Vukcevic's header was saved by Charles, before Smyth broke Lilywhite hearts by firing the ball into the centre of the goal to give the home side an unlikely late point.

Preston North End interim manager Jason Euell told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"I've got mixed emotions [about the match], in terms of the position we found ourselves in so early on. Maybe we were two up too early.

"I'm disappointed that we had an opportunity to kill the game off which we didn't take – part of that is not being clinical enough in the opposition box. Allowing ourselves to be overtaken against 10 men is disappointing.

"I said to the boys afterwards it's a learning experience. Being 2-0 up with a man advantage, it's not as easy as people say it is.

"We have to be able to control our emotions, manage the game better, have the right mindset. We let the outside noise get the better of us; it's disappointing, but we've got a point."

QPR boss Julien Stephan told BBC Radio London:

"[I was] very disappointed with the first half; the lack of personality, lack of character on the pitch, for me we don't have to accept that.

"It was not a question of quality or ability, it's a question of mindset and how we respond to bad moments.

"We needed to find a way to bounce back and it was really important to have strong words at half-time in the dressing room. But we were 11 v 11 with the fans, I can't thank them for the atmosphere today.

"The players produced an outstanding second-half, with quality, diligence, the things we missed in the first half. We need to use this experience for the rest of the season."