Max Bird scored his first goal for Bristol City since his summer move from Derby
Bristol City extended their unbeaten league run to eight games by beating Preston North End 3-1 at Deepdale.
A controversial early opener from Yu Hirakawa, in which he committed a blatant handball, plus goals from Nahki Wells and Max Bird delivered all three points for the visitors in Lancashire.
Sam Greenwood's second-half free kick had briefly levelled for Preston, but it was not enough to prevent the Lilywhites' first defeat in six games.
Liam Manning's side move up to eighth in the table, just two points off the play-offs, while Preston drop a spot to 20th.
Neither of these teams had tasted defeat in October in the league, and it was the away side who made the faster start, albeit in controversial circumstances.
Yu Hirakawa pounced on a mix up in the North End back line, to slot into an empty net, despite replays showing the forward had used his hand to knock the ball past Freddie Woodman in the home goal.
Despite their protests going unheard and the frustration to follow that, the hosts responded well, and City were forced to be alert to a dangerous Sam Greenwood cross, before Mads Frokjaer-Jensen curled an effort just over the bar.
Robins midfielder Marcus McGuane then came to his side’s rescue to stop Danish forward Frokjaer-Jensen tapping into an empty net as half-time approached.
Paul Heckingbottom’s side – who lost 3-0 at home to Arsenal in the League Cup on Wednesday – got back on level terms shortly after the break, as Greenwood found the bottom corner from a free-kick to score for the third successive game.
It took Bristol City just two minutes to restore their lead, however, when Wells nodded home his fourth goal of the season from Mark Sykes’ delivery from the right-hand side.
With the clock ticking and Preston chasing a second equaliser, substitute Bird sealed the points for Manning’s side with a smart left-footed finish following a neat one-two with Hirakawa to send the travelling Robins fans back home to the West Country with a smile.
Preston’s defeat was their first in front of their home fans in the Championship since the division’s opening game of the campaign against Sheffield United in August.
Bristol City's last defeat was on 14 September with the Robins now up to eighth
Bristol City manager Liam Manning told BBC Radio Bristol:
“I am really pleased and really proud of the players today. It was not the prettiest game at times but we managed it quite well, especially with the changes we had to make.
“The lads showed what we are about in terms of problem solving, and the second and third goals were moments of real outstanding quality that deserved to win the game.
“We pressed well, and blocked well when we had to. It is a tough place to come, so it was real progress for me in terms of how far we have come, but we still have a way to go.
“The travelling support was phenomenal today, the way they got behind the lads was massive and delighted we can send them back home on a long journey happy.”
Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire:
“We have had an apology for two bad decisions at Millwall and one for another bad decision at Burnley.
“I am sure we will get one for this [the opener] as well but there is nothing we can do about it. We keep getting on the wrong end of it, but hopefully it will even itself out.
“We responded well to going behind, but as good as were first half the tone was set by that first goal. They defended really well, and looked to counter.
“Second half when we got ourselves back in it I was confident we would go on and win the game, but we gave away a poor goal on our part soon after.”
