A goal in each half was enough to secure all three points for Preston against Bristol City, as ran out 2-0 winners at Ashton Gate.
Lewis Dobbin capitalised on a defensive mix-up to open the scoring in the first half, while Alfie Devine added a second for Paul Heckingbottom’s side with 20 minutes to go.
The match sees City drop two positions to 10th in the table but remaining just two points off the top six.
Up next, the Robins host Watford in the Emirates FA Cup on Saturday, January 10th (5.45pm).
Gerhard Struber made two changes from the side that thumped Portsmouth 5-0 on New Year’s Day, with Rob Dickie returning from injury in place of George Tanner while Sinclair Armstrong’s brace against Pompey earned him a starting place ahead of Emil Riis.
New signing Sam Morsy took his place on the substitutes bench after putting pen to paper on a six-month deal at Ashton Gate earlier this week.
The visitors took an early lead after eight minutes as Jorde Thompson pinched the ball from Adam Randell in midfield, sliding in Dobbin to slot the ball home from close range.
On 18 minutes, Sinclair Armstrong burst forward putting the visitors’ defence under intense pressure, winning his side a corner in the process as City looked to get back into the game.
Just past the half hour mark some neat work from Randell saw the midfielder burst in behind the Preston defence before cutting inside but his effort was well saved by Daniel Iversen in goal.
City almost got the equaliser after a superb counter attack started by Max O’Leary whose inch-perfect looped pass found Mehmeti in space who played in Rob Atkinson, who forced a corner with a dangerous cross.
Ten minutes into the second half, Struber made a triple substitution. Morsy made his Bristol City debut, while Cam Pring and Emil Riis also entered the field. Scott Twine, Rob Atkinson and Anis Mehmeti were the ones to be sacrificed.
Morsy almost immediately opened his account but his shot from the edge of the area sailed wide.
Preston’s second came 20 minutes from time, Devine found space in the area and despite an excellent initial intervention from Dickie, the Tottenham Hotspur loanee fired into the bottom corner at the second attempt.
On 77 minutes, Struber made another change, with Sam Bell coming on for Armstrong.
Late chances came for the home side as Pring’s inviting cross at the back post almost found Riis, but it just evaded the striker and Sam Bell’s clever turn on the edge of the box creating a shooting opportunity but his strike was matched by Iversen.
Starting XI: O’Leary; Dickie, Vyner, Atkinson (Pring 55); McCrorie (Hirakawa 90), Knight (c) Randell, Borges; Twine (Morsy 55) , Mehmeti (Riis 55) , Armstrong (Bell 77)
Substitutes not used: Lumley, Tanner, Roberts, Pecover
Yellow Cards: Knight
Att: Attendance – 22,409 (737 Away)
UP NEXT AT ASHTON GATE
Bristol City host Watford in the third round of the Emirates FA Cup (5.45pm).