Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 Preston North End
- Published
Jermaine Beckford (left) and Eoin Doyle (right) were pulled apart after coming to blows
Preston had Jermaine Beckford and Eoin Doyle sent off after fighting with one another in the last minute as they lost at Sheffield Wednesday.
Fernando Forestieri's header put the Owls ahead early on, but the striker was sent off for a second-half off-the-ball incident with Ben Pearson.
Steven Fletcher's penalty doubled the lead before Doyle pulled one back.
Doyle and Beckford came to blows after the Irishman failed to play Beckford in as North End looked for an equaliser.
The fight between the two Preston forwards came in the final minute of normal time as the visitors looked like they would be able to level.
Wednesday, having used all three substitutes and seen Forestieri dismissed, were temporarily down to nine men as Will Buckley was off having lengthy treatment for a shoulder injury.
Doyle broke and played the ball to Marnick Vermijl, whose first-time shot was blasted over the bar, much to the ire of half-time substitute Beckford, who thought he was in a better position to score.
He and Doyle then came together and exchanged blows, leaving referee Scott Duncan with little choice but to send the pair off.
In the first half Greg Cunningham could have equalised for Preston soon after Forestieri's opener, but the defender's long-range shot hit the post.
Both sides could have scored in a hectic end to the first half as first Jack Hunt shot wide for Wednesday, then Preston's Aiden McGeady forced Keiran Westwood into a fine save before Owls substitute Buckley headed wide at the far post when the goal was gaping after Forestieri's excellent pass.
Beckford had a goal disallowed soon after coming on - the former Leeds United and Everton forward scoring from a free-kick but referee Scott Duncan said it was taken too quickly.
Forestieri then got his marching orders before Fletcher converted from the spot after Buckley was brought down in the area by goalkeeper Chris Maxwell.
Doyle pulled a goal back when he fired low into the corner, but Wednesday held on to climb to fifth in the Championship while Preston slip to 15th.
Sheffield Wednesday boss Carlos Carvalhal:
"Pre-match we talked about how this Preston team is, an organised team and very tough to play against. The last three away games they won at Norwich and drew at Brighton and so on.
"We prepared, I think, very well for the game. The first minutes we pressed a lot, when we achieved the goal, I think we deserved it.
"Our team showed how much they wanted to win and the quality of the group. They did fantastic team work. We had to concentrate with nine-and-a-half players, because (Will) Buckley was just a body there, he couldn't move too much."
Beckford displays his displeasure at Doyle's choice of pass...
...Doyle and Beckford then come to blows, with team-mate Daniel Johnson the first to get in between them....
....Doyle is the first to be given his marching orders...
...followed swiftly by Beckford.
All the fighting came with Wednesday down to 10 men after Fernando Forestieri was the first player to be sent off at Hillsborough