Honours ended even on a sunny Easter Monday watched by 15,117 after Nottingham Forest had scored a shock opening goal after four minutes.
An Andy Reid free-kick from the right channel was hit long left-footed and wasn't cleared properly as Rob Edwards headed the ball away and the ball fell to Marlon King, who drove a 12-yard right-foot shot into the top middle of the net.
Forest midfielder Paul Evans had a chipped shot which Preston goalkeeper Jonathan Gould saved after 14 minutes.
Ricardo Fuller had a shot after 22 minutes from the right channel. He hit a right-foot shot straight at Forest keeper Paul Gerrard.
A minute later, Graham Alexander inside the left channel, hit a 25 yard left-foot volley which was tipped over the bar by the Forest keeper for a left-wing corner.
Preston centre-back Michael Jackson had an eight-yard right-foot shot saved by Gerrard after 24 minutes.
Preston captain Chris Lucketti equalised on 34 when Big George flicked the ball on from the middle of the penalty area and the ball fell to Lucketti who hit a seven-yard right-foot half-volley into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.
Scot Gemmill had a 30-yard left-foot volley saved by Gerard just before half-time.
The fourth official signalled one extra minute.
In stoppage time of the first half, Gareth Taylor had a header which wasn't properly cleared and the ball bobbled around in the Preston six-yard box and the ball hit the left-hand post before falling to Gareth Williams, who from four yards out hit a right-foot shot into the net.
The referee blew for half-time 2-1 to Forest.
Reid deflected a shot straight at Gould and then Fuller ran through shot and then fell over, but the referee gave no penalty.
Paul McKenna grabbed the equaliser for Preston from an Alexander right-wing corner and he hit a 16-yard right-foot shot into the top right-hand corner of the net.