Preston North End 1-2 Huddersfield Town: Kaine Kesler-Hayden scores Terriers winner
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Jordan Rhodes' first-time finish drew Huddersfield level before Kaine Kesler-Hayden's winner
Kaine Kesler-Hayden's first Huddersfield Town goal gave the Championship's bottom side a vital late comeback win at Preston North End.
The Terriers had trailed to Greg Cunningham's goal until the 76th minute, when Jordan Rhodes levelled.
However, Huddersfield finished strongly with Rhodes hitting the post, before Aston Villa loanee Kesler-Hayden popped up at the far post with the winner five minutes from time.
The victory closes the gap between Mark Fotheringham's side and safety to four points, while North End missed the chance to move back into the play-off places.
For a long period of the game it seemed that Cunningham's hold over the Terriers would prove decisive again. The left-back has only scored twice in the past 22 months, and both have been against the Terriers.
Cunningham headed in Ben Whiteman's corner in the first half to give Preston the lead, but Huddersfield remained calm and forced their way back into the game with a good second-half display.
Rhodes levelled by getting on the end of a Brahima Diarra cross from the byline.
The striker almost grabbed a second as the visitors defied their lowly position with a strong finish, hitting the post.
They grabbed all three points when Diarra crossed, with keeper Freddie Woodman hesitating as Hayden appeared to squeeze the ball home from a difficult angle at the far post.
Preston boss Ryan Lowe told BBC Radio Lancashire:
"I'm disappointed, obviously. When you lose a game of football in the manner we did, two soft goals.
"We didn't play that well. First half, we found ourselves 1-0 up, and had a couple of half-chances. I told them at half-time not to give (Huddersfield) an inch because they will take a mile.
"They are fighting for their lives down at the bottom and still have some good footballers and play the right way. We gave them two opportunities and they scored two goals and we couldn't come back from it.
"They were two goals that if you saw them on a Sunday morning pitch - from our aspect, not theirs - it's calamity and you can't allow that to happen.
"One ball up the pitch and then an error of judgement and he pulls it back for a free shot just outside the six-yard box, and the second is a ball fired across the box that has to be dealt with and is not."
Huddersfield boss Mark Fotheringham told BBC Radio Leeds:
"It was a really gritty performance and I was delighted for the lads. They showed really strong character to come back and overall it was a very satisfying performance.
"We showed a real positive energy, they never let their heads go down and that shows they are fighting. We have sent a ripple through the league with that result. We have to build on it now.
"Duane (Holmes) was the best player on the park today and last week he wasn't in the squad.
"We utilised the squad and have got a lot of games coming up. We are trying to bring a freshness and in the coming weeks there's lots of games to play and I'm sure we will utilise the squad and Sorba (Thomas) will be involved."