Preston North End ended a seven-game winless run with a 3-1 Championship victory over Stoke City, recovering from Sorba Thomas' fourth-minute opener through Alfie Devine's brace and Milutin Osmajic's close-range header.
Stoke's early goal, backed by a noisy away following, gave the visitors a platform, but Preston steadily assumed control and punished a side that repeatedly left itself open in transition. A controversial yellow card for Ben Whiteman and a superb Andrija Vukcevic block were among the key moments before the home side pulled clear.
Stoke strike first, then Preston punish the space
The visitors made the sharper start, and their supporters, who filled three-quarters of the away end, had barely settled when Thomas finished acrobatically from Junior Tchamadeu's cross. He slammed the volley into the ground and beyond Daniel Iversen to give Stoke the lead after only four minutes.