Preston North End pip Middlesbrough as Ryan Lowe's side win on poignant Deepdale night

Wednesday night's clash was a touching occasion, played fittingly under the Deepdale floodlights. PNE were looking for their third successive win, 10 years on from the passing of the club's greatest ever player: Sir Tom Finney. This was an evening to do the Preston Plumber proud, which the North End faithful made no mistake of pre-match - songs sung and a surfer flag sailed across the Alan Kelly Town End. It was then down to business, as the Lilywhites sought revenge for their midweek ordeal on Teesside.

Preston had lost stalwart Brad Potts to injury, with the number 44 - missing only his second game of the season - replaced by Robbie Brady. North End were forced into a change early doors, too, as Andrew Hughes came off badly in a ground duel with Marcus Forss. On came Greg Cunningham, for his first appearance in almost four months. The opening exchanges had passed PNE by in their last victory at Cardiff; it was a similar story for Ryan Lowe's side here. Preston struggled to string play together, lacking care and conviction in possession.

But, with the score line still goalless - despite Boro enjoying the greater territory - the potency of Preston does make them a dangerous outfit, even when positive signs are in short supply. The attacking quartet of Emil Riis, Will Keane, Mads Frokjaer and Liam Millar all feed off moments and one came the way of the latter on 22 minutes. Frokjaer picked up his first dangerous pocket of space, shortly before the ball dropped for Millar and he fizzed his shot low, hard and past the diving Tom Glover. A first goal for the Canadian in eight games; perhaps it was always going to be a night for Preston's right winger.

North End's drenched players headed in at half time with the lead, but the importance of the next goal will not have been lost on them. Neither side had shown their best selves across a first 45 minutes of low quality football. Boro - who have been hit hard in the injury department - were a shadow of the side which dismantled PNE in November. Sam Greenwood fired wide from distance, after being denied early on by Freddie Woodman. And Marcus Forss' semi-strong appeal for a penalty was ignored by referee Tony Harrington, after Brady busted a gut to get back and stop the threat. At half time, Preston were level with sixth placed Coventry City in the table.

The away side had lacked final third firepower in the first half, but warning signs had been there for North End. Boro came out with a determined edge and caused problems for Preston with their patient, passing approach. And when Carrick's team eventually levelled, it came as no surprise given the spell of pressure prior. That said, it took a moment of magic from January recruit Finn Azaz - who lasered his shot into the top left corner from distance. With North End appearing frail and fatigued, Boro surely sensed the opportunity to go for more.

And yet, if there is any Championship team capable of defying momentum, it may just be the Lilywhites. Three minutes after being pegged back, the ball couldn't have dropped nicer for Emil Riis to pounce on and place into the back of Middlesbrough's net. The Dane's strike partner, Keane, has had some fortune with deflections this season and it was his strike from 20 yards which flew into the air and fell kindly for North End's number 19 to finish. Great when they go for you; sickening when they do not. Fortune was on Preston's side in this instance. Riis watched it all the way and mastered his execution, with the ball spinning away as it came down.

There still, though, looked an awful long way to go for Lowe's men - who were never allowed to feel comfortable in the game or gain any kind of control. North End's boss freshened things up with 15 minutes to go, introducing Jack Whatmough, Layton Stewart and Milutin Osmajic. Boro stuck to their principles and continued to push hard for another equaliser; Luke Thomas could only drag wide of the bottom corner, after tricky work inside the box to work space for a shot.

Preston could've, and arguably should've, then relieved pressure on themselves - but Osmajic couldn't apply the finishing touch after Millar's well weighted pass through to him. The eyes of a fellow substitute, in Stewart, then must've lit up - only for the red shirts to charge his low effort down. Five minutes were held up by the fourth official and North End had to dig in until the very last kick. Admirably, they negotiated and came through more nervy closing stages for the second home match in a row - which can only do confidence levels good. As PNE's players, soaked from head to toe, walked off with three more, hard earned points in the bag, there was no doubt someone looking down with a smile. That's the Preston way. Well in, lads.

Attendance: 15,282 PNE starting XI: Woodman; Storey, Lindsay (Whatmough 76'), Hughes (Cunningham 8'), Millar, Whiteman (McCann 83'), Browne (c), Brady, Frokjaer, Riis (Stewart 76'), Keane (Osmajic 76'). PNE unused subs: Cornell, Seary, Ledson, Woodburn.