ANOTHER day, another draw for Cherries boss Paul Groves.

A seventh stalemate in 11 league games since taking charge and a third in a row to start this season has done little to inspire confidence among expectant supporters.

It would be all too easy to point the finger of blame at Harry Arter’s petulance after the midfielder picked up a pair of bookings in a mad five minutes but, in truth, there is more to this all too familiar tale.

For all his hard work, Wes Thomas’s profligacy proved costly, the striker missing two sitters before Arter’s dismissal.

The Cherries faithful were infuriated by another dull day on home soil and by referee Carl Berry, whose inconsistency was frustrating but, ultimately, not to blame for Cherries failing to find a path to victory.

Barring glimpses of form from Marc Pugh, the Cherries midfield looked disjointed and unable to hold their positions early on – their attempts at a flexible, fluid style only caused confusion.

Too often, players went alone in the middle of the park, running into blind alleys and crunching tackles as the Lilywhites set about their task with gusto.

Thomas did what he could to work some space, but was unconvincing, while strike partner Lee Barnard was anonymous all afternoon.

Thomas’s first opening came on 15 minutes when an isolated Pugh twisted one way and then the other before pinging over a swirling cross that was crying out to be headed home, the frontman skewing his effort well wide.

Arter picked up a silly first yellow for delaying Nicky Wroe’s free-kick on the halfway line as the heavens opened with a massive downpour covering the pitch. It never rains but it pours for Groves, who witnessed the chance of the half go begging before Arter saw red.

Eunan O’Kane’s volleyed ball from deep sailed over visiting full-back Bailey Wright but misfiring Thomas saw his effort saved by Preston goalkeeper Thorsten Stuckmann.

Former Southampton winger Lee Holmes was a thorn in the hosts’ side, drawing the foul that ended Arter’s afternoon prematurely as hot-headed Harry’s late slide gave referee Berry little option.

Groves said he had not seen the incident for the second card but offered little defence for his enigmatic playmaker.

“That is something that has been there in the past and has got to be addressed,” said Groves. “I think it comes out of an enthusiasm to close down people and make challenges. But, once you go to ground, referees will bring out a card. That is something Harry will have to learn from.”

Holmes’s day ended badly too, colliding with an advertising board and ending up in hospital with a nasty gash to his leg.

Groves kept two up front until half-time and Cherries set about their work well, drawing fouls from their combative opponents who looked more like the team with 10 men.

But a change of heart at the break turned the tide and stifled any impetus, with Barnard reverting to a role on the right and Cherries lining up with two banks of four. Thomas ploughed the lone furrow up front.

Uncertainty gripped the home side as players dallied in deep positions, unable to find a team-mate to relieve the pressure. They were fortunate not to gift the visitors a goal.

A rare foray forward gave Cherries hope of a first victory this season. Pugh’s trickery earned a free-kick out of Wright and the wing wizard’s delicious inswinging ball was glanced home by Tommy Elphick, stealing a march in a crowded penalty area and picking his spot inside the far post.

But the hosts sat back and allowed themselves to be forced deeper and deeper. The introduction of Lewis Grabban for Barnard gave Cherries an occasional out ball, but the rate at which Groves’s men retreated left them vulnerable.

Thomas atoned for earlier errors by clearing Wright’s header off the line with Shwan Jalal flapping at Laird’s corner. But a goal was not far away as substitute Akpo Sodje overpowered Elphick at the far post to crash home the leveller from Wright’s centre.

Preston bossed the closing stages as Laird’s cheeky back heel skimmed just wide and Wright poked into the side netting before wasting a headed opportunity in stoppage time. Visiting skipper Wroe almost had the last laugh but his low drive drifted wide of a flat-footed Jalal.

Defeat would have been cruel for a home side that worked hard enough but, equally, Preston were worth their point for a cohesive and patient approach at one down.

Although Groves claimed Cherries were “unfortunate” to concede the goal that dropped two points, teams that waste the few chances they create do tend to miss out on Lady Luck.