Small strikes as Preston end Charlton unbeaten run

Thierry Small silences the Charlton Athletic fans by scoring against his old club

Preston North End moved into the play-off places after ending Charlton Athletic's four-match unbeaten run in the Championship.

Thierry Small, booed by the away fans after his move north from The Valley in the summer, made the breakthrough with a deflected goal in the second half, to add to his first goal for the club in midweek.

Bournemouth loanee Daniel Jebbison scored his first Preston goal with 10 minutes of normal time remaining, to settle a game of few opportunities at Deepdale.

The win means the Lilywhites have now lost just one of their past nine, but was a welcome three points for them after drawing three of their past four games.

Charlton arrived in Lancashire boasting an impressive record, lying just behind their opponents with a defensive record only bettered by early pace-setters Middlesbrough.

The fact that Preston have also built their bright early-season form on being solid might have been a good indicator of what kind of game this would be, especially with the wind and rain interfering with any attempt at creativity.

On-loan Aston Villa man Lewis Dobbin was the only bright spark in a gloomy first half, twice firing wide after excellent approach work, while Charlton dealt well with a stream of crosses from left wing-back Andrija Vukcevic.

That disciplined and organised defence is the reason the Addicks had lost just once away going into the game and the visiting fans were hoping they could sneak a goal at the other end, which they almost did as Reece Burke's cross narrowly evaded Tyreece Campbell.

The left-hand side was proving to be Preston's fruitful zone, however, and Ali McCann somehow headed a great chance straight at goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski when Andrew Hughes' cross bounced up perfectly for him, six yards out.

Vukcevic was next to hit the byeline and when his cross caused chaos Dobbin nudged a pass to Small, and the winger struck a shot which looped off Kayne Ramsay to deceive Kaminski and drop into the net.

Charlton boss Nathan Jones sent on Isaac Olaofe, Amari'i Bell and Harvey Knibbs in a bid to salvage a point but the game was up with 10 minutes left thanks to yet another left-sided raid.

This time it was substitute Alfie Devine galloping away from the defence and he measured his cross for the lunge of Jebbison, whose inclusion at the expense of fans' favourite Milutin Osmajic had caused some social media consternation ahead of the game.

'Dominant from start to finish' - Heckingbottom

Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"We were really good today, very dominant from start to finish and I just said to the players, if anyone's watched Charlton as much as I have and the staff have this season, they'll realise how impressive that is because they've given everyone a game and been a handful for everyone.

"Today we were very strong. I'm really pleased with how we went about it because one of their main threats is set plays.

"They've been very good from them, not only scoring goals.

"They're also not bothered that they don't play many passes; they're very dangerous. Nathan sets his teams up well to press and try to win the ball and on that turnover, they'll be really quick and try to score goals."

Charlton Athletic manager Nathan Jones told BBC Radio London:

"They scored the first goal - forget the second goal because we were trying to chase the game [and] changed shape - but it's always going to be about the first goal.

"I got let down by a decision of the officials. They then went up the other side and scored and that's my real disappointment.

On what he said to the referee at full time to get shown a yellow card:

"I said, I'm going to come in and see you, [with] my arms at my side, no dissent, nothing at all about being booked. It's easy for them to do pretty much what they want.

"They can cost us a game or make decisions that contribute heavily to us losing, but I'm the one that gets punished and double punished. I'll go in and get clarity because I have no idea why I've been booked."