Points shared as Preston hit back

Johnson seized on a stray pass from Steve Cook and fired past Asmir Begovic in the 70^th minute to cancel out Arnaut Danjuma’s first-half opener for the Cherries.

Danjuma drew first blood for the visitors when he netted for the second Saturday in succession in the 37^th minute.

The Dutchman registered his eighth goal of the season with an emphatic finish from close range after being teed up by Dominic Solanke.

Although the Cherries looked comfortable in the opening period, an improved second-half showing from Preston was rewarded with Johnson’s equaliser 20 minutes from time.

Cherries head coach Jonathan Woodgate named an unchanged starting line-up for the third game in succession.

Ben Pearson kept his place in midfield and faced the club he left in January, while Diego Rico and Phil Billing were ruled out due to injury.

The Cherries defended a couple of early free-kicks before fashioning the first shooting opportunity in the tenth minute.

Danjuma teed up Lloyd Kelly following a surging run down the wing, the defender’s shot through a crowd of players superbly saved by Daniel Iversen.

Solanke almost profited from a mix-up between Iversen and Jordan Storey as they tried to deal with a through ball, the Preston goalkeeper eventually clearing the danger.

Adam Smith required a lengthy spell of treatment after being caught, accidentally, in the face by Daniel Johnson’s flailing arm.

Iversen saved comfortably after Lewis Cook’s effort had taken a deflection following some nice build-up play involving Danjuma and Stanislas.

Preston’s on-loan goalkeeper denied Jefferson Lerma with a fine reaction save after the midfielder had taken aim following a neat turn on the edge of the box midway through the first half.

Another intricate move came to nothing after Stanislas unfortunately slipped as he prepared to shoot seven yards from goal.

Iversen was again in the right place at the right time after Danjuma had met Kelly’s cross at the near post, the Leicester stopper turning the ball behind for a corner.

Danjuma’s strike from 25 yards was charged down by a defender before the Dutchman made the breakthrough in the 37^th minute.

He assuredly swept the ball past Iversen from around eight yards after Solanke had done superbly to hold off Storey and then roll a pass to Danjuma having been picked out by Smith.

The Cherries had a let-off when Tom Barkhuizen’s dangerous centre flashed across the face of the goalmouth with Ched Evans and Alan Browne unable to convert.

Storey’s speculative effort from the edge of the box failed to trouble Asmir Begovic as it sailed past the post at the start of the second half.

Solanke did well to shake off Paul Huntington but was unable to find a team-mate with his cross before Danjuma’s volley bounced tamely into the hands of Iversen.

An unfortunate bobble hindered Lewis Cook as he tried his luck from distance, his shot eventually flying over the crossbar.

Kelly’s timely interception prevented Barkhuizen from testing Begovic before Steve Cook’s heroic block diverted a goalbound shot from Evans over the top.

The hosts appealed in vain for a penalty after the ball had struck Pearson, a double substitution seeing Anthony Gordon and Sean Maguire replace Barkhuizen and Sinclair midway through the second half.

Johnson levelled in the 70^th minute, the midfielder finding the bottom corner of the net from 20 yards after seizing on Steve Cook’s misplaced pass.

Lewis Cook was hurt during a coming-together with Greg Cunningham who was booked for his part in the challenge, while the Cherries midfielder was replaced by Shane Long.

Solanke created a shooting chance after wriggling free from his marker, only for the striker to fire straight at Iversen from the edge of the box.

Begovic was forced to tip Ben Whiteman’s stinging drive over the crossbar before Jack Wilshere entered the fray as a replacement for Stanislas six minutes from time.

As the two teams went in search of a winner during the closing stages, defences stood firm and neither goalkeeper was called into action before referee Jarred Gillett sounded the final whistle.

AFC Bournemouth: Begovic, Smith, Carter-Vickers, S Cook, Kelly, L Cook (Long, 75), Pearson, Lerma, Stanislas (Wilshere, 84), Solanke, Danjuma.

Unused subs: Mepham, Stacey, Riquelme, Kilkenny, Anthony, Zemura, Travers (g/k).

Preston: Iversen, van den Berg, Browne, Johnson (Potts, 84), Storey, Whiteman, Huntington, Evans, Barkhuizen (Maguire, 66), Sinclair (Gordon, 66), Cunningham.

Unused subs: Rafferty, Gallagher, Bayliss, Molumby, Riis Jakobsen, Ripley (g/k).

Booked: Johnson, Cunningham.

Referee: Jarred Gillett.