Not for the first time in a match they fired themselves into an early lead, only for their defence to be caught out by a second half winner.
There can be no qualms about the way that rock steady Eddie Lewis produced a charging after just one minute and thirty four seconds, connecting with Graham Alexander's searching cross.
But he was somewhat shadowed by striker Jermain Defoe, accepting a Don Hutchinson header, who then jiggled free to shoot past Jonathan Gould on five minutes.
In the stifling heat, David Healy and Ricardo Fuller missed the chance to put Preston back in front and the midfield seemed lacking at times. They should have had at least one penalty decision, but in the end, sub Connolly proved it all boils down to taking your chances when he capped a solo run by beatong two defenders and firing in at the near post.