Preston North End players sent off after fighting one another in stoppage time

Preston chased a late equaliser against Sheffield Wednesday but the game took an unexpected turn for the worst as Jermaine Beckford and Eoin Doyle squared up to one another

Beckford argues with his team mates after raising his hands to Doyle (Andrew Roe/AHPIX LTD)

Two Preston North End players were sent off for fighting with one another during the side's 2-1 defeat by Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.

Jermaine Beckford and Eoin Doyle were shown red in the 90th minute of Saturday’s game as Preston chased a late equaliser.

The pair appeared to come to blows after the Irishman failed to play Beckford in for a late chance on goal.

The fight recalled memories of the infamous scrap that broke out between Newcastle’s Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer in 2005 which required both players to be pulled apart.

Speaking after the match, Simon Grayson said: "In 30 years, I've never seen an incident like it. Childish behaviour has cost us potentially three points, if not just a point."

It was a particularly ill-disciplined match with three cards in total.

Prior to the late fight, Sheffield Wednesday’s Fernando Forestieri, who had opened the scoring the for the home side, was sent off in the 65th minute for a second-half off-the-ball incident with Ben Pearson to give Preston hope.

But Beckford and Doyle’s fight, and subsequent dismissals, cut short any hope of a late equaliser for the visitors.