Darnell Fisher returned to right back but the rest of the team remained the same after Saturday's victory at Bolton. The home game against Bristol City was a big game as a defeat would have been a severe dent in Preston's play off chasing hopes.
It's a results business at this time of the season and performances take a back seat to getting the three points. That's not to say that Preston didn't play some decent stuff at times but the difference beteen the sides wasn't as significant as last season when Preston humuliated Bristol City.
North End took the lead in the first half when the game went from the ridiculous to the sublime. The Bristol City keeper cleared the ball but in doing so he ended up passing straight to Browne who was around 30 yards out.
At a slight angle, Browne executed a superb chip which Eric Cantona would have been proud of as it sailed over the onlooking defenders and keeper into the back of the net.
Preston looked comfortable in the lead but things changed when the visitors made changes pressing forward for an equaliser which eventually came.
North End had a momentary lapse in concentration when a ball came in from the left. Diedhoui was free and he headed home past Rudd. The game changed and the visitors could sense this.
Rudd managed to keep the visitors out again when they had a decent opportunity but Preston soon turned the game back in their favour thanks to two subsitutes from Neil.
Maguire and Johnson came on. Within minutes Johnson played through Maguire who twisted and turned beating his defender before slotting past the keeper to give Preston the lead.
Barkhuizen could have added to the lead when he got on the end of the cross but fired over. There was a tense finish as Preston were pushed back but the visitors failed to get an equaliser.
Bristol City were reduced to ten men in the final moments when Flint lashed out in the box with his elbow connecting with a Preston defender. The referee had no hesitation in showing a red card.
The victory puts Preston to within a point of the play offs and four points behind Derby who sit in fifth. The win was vital for Preston's hopes of a top six finish but they now face an even bigger test as Fulham travel to Deepdale on Saturday.