Championship: Preston 3-0 Middlesbrough - North End strike late to see off Boro
- Published
Scott Sinclair scored Preston's second to set up a convincing win for the Lilywhites
Preston North End picked up only their second home win of the season after scoring three second-half goals to see off Middlesbrough at Deepdale.
After a goalless first half, Brad Potts diverted an Andrew Hughes effort past Marcus Bettinelli to give the hosts the lead.
Scott Sinclair rolled the ball into the far corner with nine minutes left to double their advantage.
Substitute Emil Riis Jakobsen grabbed a deserved third late on, cutting in and drilling below the Fulham loanee.
Boro toiled, with Marvin Johnson forcing two good saves from Declan Rudd, but otherwise, they were unable to trouble North End.
Alex Neil's Lilywhites had endured a terrible home run earlier in the season, failing to win on home soil until beating Sheffield Wednesday last month, but this result extends their unbeaten run to three games.
They took control of the game late on, largely utilising the pace of Sinclair although it was a scruffy effort from Potts that got the ball rolling.
Sinclair might have added another, but his header struck the bar after Bettinelli had frustrated Jayden Stockley, who smashed wastefully wide as the chances racked up.
After a bright start to the season, Boro have now won just two of their past eight matches, although they remain only four points adrift of the play-off places.
The main concern for boss Neil Warnock will be the lack of punch up front, with Britt Assombalonga enduring a tough night, seldom influencing affairs as the forward leading the line.
Preston North End boss Alex Neil told BBC Radio Lancashire:
"Our home form has been well documented, and we knew Middlesbrough would come here and be physical and direct, they're hard to play against and if you try to play passing football combinations their bread and butter is stopping that and hurting you off the back of it.
"We knew 'up, back and through' them was the best course of action. We were the better side in the first half, they had a spell of 10 minutes after half-time we didn't start great and we were flat and then we got the goal.
"The goal gave us a lift, but the key moment in the game was when the subs came on [Josh Earl, Sean Maguire, Emil Ris and Tom Bayliss], when they came on, they all made a positive influence and gave us a new energy, they were the catalyst to go and win the game."
Middlesbrough boss Neil Warnock told BBC Tees:
"We're obviously disappointed at the end, but again opportunities have not been taken to make the goals.
"Second half we came out well and dominated it, but we have a goal against us - another deflection - and then there's the turning point, the great clearance off the line from Marvin's shot which would have made it 1-1 and a game of it.
"Instead we try to chase the game and end up scoring two sloppy goals really. It shows how young the squad is really."
Inside the mind of Jeff Bezos: The Amazon founder has strong beliefs and big plans
Festive Feelgood Hits: Listen along to a playlist of the greatest Christmas No 1s
