Middlesbrough started life without Gareth Southgate with a 2-2 draw at Preston as Billy Jones scored late on.
Jones' equaliser denies caretaker boss Cooper the points
Billy Jones' stoppage-time goal denied Middlesbrough a win in the first game after Gareth Southgate's sacking as Preston North End fought back to claim a 2-2 draw.
Boro ditched Southgate after the midweek win over Derby County and twice led at Deepdale, with Gary O'Neil opening the scoring late in the first half.
Preston levelled just past the hour through Paul Parry, but Adam Johnson's 67th minute goal appeared set to give Boro the points.
However, caretaker boss Colin Cooper's quest to secure a win was thwarted in injury-time as Jones pounced for Preston.
Boro started brightly - and only timely challenges from Neill Collins and Liam Chilvers, both to thwart Leroy Lita, stopped them taking an early lead.
Johnson, who scored the goals in the 2-0 success against Derby in midweek, then went close with a shot from the edge of the area.
Only a superb save from Andy Lonergan kept Boro at bay after 15 minutes. O'Neil's 30-yard free-kick looked to be heading into the top corner, but the Preston goalkeeper managed to push the ball round the post.
That sprung Preston into life, and Ross Wallace narrowly missed the target with a long-range effort.
Parry should have done better after dispossessing Joe Bennett on the edge of the box.
Dominance
Lita shot over the bar just after the half-hour, but Boro's dominance was rewarded two minutes before the break.
O'Neil was fouled by Parry 25 yards out. The former Portsmouth midfielder took the free-kick himself and thundered a shot through the wall and into the bottom corner, giving Lonergan no chance.
Boro could have extended their lead before the break when Johnson broke clear down the right. The England Under-21 international had Lita supporting him in the box - but rather than pass, he shot wide from a tight angle.
It looked an even worse decision when Preston equalised just after the hour.
Brad Jones did well to keep out Jon Parkin's header, but the Boro defence could not clear the ball, and it fell to Parry, who could not miss from six yards.
However, Preston's parity was short-lived and Johnson scored his third goal of the week, sweeping home Lita's left-wing cross in the 67th minute.
Rhys Williams almost put the game beyond Preston when his well-struck shot from the edge of the box struck a post.
It proved a lifeline for the hosts as Jones rescued a point for Preston, heading in Wallace's cross from close range in stoppage-time.
