Preston North End 4-1 Huddersfield Town as Milutin Osmajic scores SEVEN MINUTE hat-trick

The Lilywhites headed into the game still just about in the play-off hunt, but the stakes were arguably higher for survival scrapping Huddersfield - who headed to Deepdale on the back of a massive win against Millwall. The Terriers were backed by around two thousand away fans and you could feel, inside Deepdale, the importance of the game to the visitors. Needless to say, North End would need to be at the races.

Hopes of a top six finish had faded, with one point picked up from the trips to Birmingham City and Watford. And PNE's first half performance did little to get the home faithful engaged - Will Keane and Robbie Brady's strikes, from distance, were the only efforts of note. Meanwhile, an organised Huddersfield had had some encouragement on the break and it was they who hit the front - three minutes before the interval. After several shots were blocked by white shirts, inside the box, Josh Koroma latched on to the loose ball before turning and finishing in ruthless fashion.

PNE had 45 minutes to save their season, effectively, as the second half got under way. And under the Deepdale floodlights, engaging the home support would go a long way to completing any comeback job. So, Will Keane going to ground - under the challenge of Alex Matos inside the box - and winning a penalty, was the ideal start for Lowe's side. Up stepped Keane, to roll home his 13th goal of the season and level the game, from the spot.

North End undoubtedly improved in the second half, as is often the case when kicking towards the Alan Kelly Town End. Lee Nicholls was called into action twice, to deny former Huddersfield man, Duane Holmes before Ali McCann saw his crisp volley held. And when Keane was denied a second penalty, not long from time, you could forgive anyone for feeling like the game was drifting towards a draw. 

But that did nothing for Preston, who simply had to keep going and did just that. Lowe turned to his bench with 15 minutes to go, introducing Alan Browne and Milutin Osmajic. If there is one thing the latter likes a lot, it is scoring in front of the Town End. The Montenegrin sensed the opportunity to be, not only a match winner, but season saver too. Up he popped, to convert Holmes' low cross on 84 minutes.

Through he ran, to slot home after Browne's ball in behind. And there he arrived, to slam home from Frokjaer's low cross. A truly incredible impact from the substitute, to secure a box office comeback win, under the Deepdale lights. North End are back there on Saturday - and boy is it a big one, now.

Attendance: 14,698 PNE starting XI: Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Cunningham, Brady, McCann, Holmes (Mawene 90'), Hughes (Browne 76'), Frokjaer, Keane (Stewart 90'), Riis (Osmajic 76') PNE unused subs: Cornell, Whatmough, Best, Woodburn, Evans.