North End off the bottom

25 September 2010 18:30
Struggling Preston ended a five-match losing streak and climbed off the foot of the npower Championship table with a narrow 2-1 victory over a Coventry side who deserved a share of the spoils. North End defender Billy Jones, who twice cleared off the line, broke the deadlock before on-loan Iain Hume opened his account for the club in first-half stoppage time with a stunning finish. But it was visiting keeper Andy Lonergan who walked off with the man of the match award, producing a series of fine saves including a superb late stop to push David Bell's effort onto a post. The introduction of new signing Marlon King, on his return to professional football, at the start of the second half fed the enthusiasm of everyone in a Sky Blue shirt and he certainly provided a threat - playing his part in Aron Gunnarsson's consolation while also seeing an effort cleared off the line. But it was Preston who came away with all three points and deserve plenty of credit for their battling qualities in the face of adversity, avoiding an unwanted record for the club's longest losing sequence since the winter of 2002/2003.

Source: PA