Town matched promotion chasing Preston but paid the price for allowing Michael Ricketts a free header on six minutes.

The North End striker struck from 10 yards following Danny Pugh's cross while Blues also suffered injuries to Matt Richards and Dan Harding.

Harding also picked up a booking that will see him suspended for two games but there was some good news with Gavin Williams returning to action after six weeks on the sidelines.

Town boss Jim Magilton made four changes to the side that lost to Southend at the weekend, George O'Callaghan and Richards coming into the midfield with Owen Garvan and Jaime Peters making way.

Danny Haynes kept his place in attack after coming on for the injured Franny Jeffers against the Shrimpers with Jon Walters returning from injury in place of the suspended Alan Lee.

Blues started brightly and Preston 'keeper Andy Lonergan had to be alert to prevent O'Callaghan nudging the ball over the line from a corner, Graham Alexander then clearing from Walters inside the area.

Town were rocked back though on six minutes, Danny Pugh sending in an excellent cross and Ricketts was left alone to head past Lewis Price.

Blues responded with Haynes having a shot held by Lonergan, Richards then denied by Alexander's block as Town started to get a foothold in the game.

Alex Bruce bravely denied Ricketts as the former England international looked for a second goal, the Blues' defender forced off to receive some treatment. Alexander then fired over after a corner had only been partially cleared.

David Nugent was booked for dissent by referee Mark Clattenburg before Blues were forced into a change, Richards limping off with an ankle injury on 33 minutes, Williams coming on for his first game since recovering from a pelvic problem.

The Welsh international was immediately in the action, having a shot beaten out by Sean St Ledger's challenge. Nugent then had his first opening of the game, breaking into the Town box but failing to beat Price with his shot, Bruce doing well to put the striker under pressure.

Haynes was booked harshly for dissent and just before the break Harding followed, picking up his 10^th yellow card of the season and a two match suspension with it.

Danny Dichio replaced Ricketts at the break, joining Nugent in attack but it was Town the carved out the first opening of the second-half, Sylvain Legwinski having a shot deflected for a corner.

Haynes then won another corner, the England U19 international's cross from the right put behind by St Ledger, Dichio beating Jason De Vos to the flag kick, the Town skipper looking as though he was blocked off going for the high ball.

Price had to be alert to keep out Nugent just before the hour, the Preston striker showing great skill to take Alexander's long pass down and get his shot in.

Williams became the third Town player to be booked, the midfielder bringing down Dichio after losing possession while at the other end Haynes fired over the bar with a spectacular effort after Walters' flick on.

Harding, who looked to be carrying a knee injury, was replaced by Fabian Wilnis on 62 minutes, Callum Davidson then smacking a shot against the post before becoming the fifth player to be booked for a foul on Haynes.

Williams tested Lonergan from distance while Nugent was crowded out in the Town box as he looked to spin and shoot from inside the area.

Town made a third change for the last quarter of the game, Garvan coming on for O'Callaghan and the midfielder immediately won Blues a free-kick 25 yards from goal, Chris Sedgwick yellow carded for the foul. David Wright sending his dead-ball effort over the bar.

Franck Songo'o caught Gary Roberts with a late challenge to join the list of bookings as Preston looked to protect their slender lead and catch Town on the break. A terrific challenge from Matt Hill denying Haynes as the Blues' frontman looked to get in on goal.

Blues continued to press forward and Wright almost found Walters with a cross, Liam Chilvers cutting out the danger, Pugh then coming to his team's rescue with a challenge on Williams as he prepared to shoot. Haynes firing at Lonergan from distance.

Patrick Agyemang and Brett Ormerod were introduced as late second-half substitutes and both combined to set up Dichio who had the ball in the net but not before the offside flag was raised.

Ormerod became the fifth Preston player to be booked with the game entering the last five minutes, Nugent hurrying Price into a clearance.

Town camped around the home team's box as anxious Preston fans called for the final whistle, Williams just failing to get his shot in, then Haynes having the ball in the net but the whistle had gone for handball seconds before.

A grateful Lonergan gathered the ball off Williams in Town's last attack as Preston completed a League double over Blues for a second successive season. A frustrated Jim Magilton sent to the stands in the last few moments of the game after questioning the allocation of just three minutes of added on time.