Jack Rudoni's first-half opener was his first Coventry City goal in more than two months
Coventry City ended their Preston hoodoo as they beat North End for the first time since 2007, with first-half headers from Jack Rudoni and Bobby Thomas.
Frank Lampard's men made it seven wins in eight games, thanks to a dominant display, which should have earned them victory by a greater margin.
Rudoni's 30th-minute header from the fit-again Ephron Mason-Clark's cross was followed seven minutes later by Thomas's second goal in successive home games, from Matt Grimes' corner.
After missing a succession of chances, City were nearly paid to pay when Preston pulled one back from Will Keane with eight minutes left.
But the visitors could find no more and the Sky Blues held on to maintain their hold on seventh place - just a point behind both fifth-placed West Bromwich Albion and sixth-placed Blackburn Rovers.
Ephron Mason-Clark was making his first Coventry start since Boxing Day
Coventry's third straight win looked on the cards from the moment that, from Ellis Simms' knockdown, Tatsuhiro Sakamoto forced visiting keeper Freddie Woodman into a save after just 10 seconds.
Simms dragged wide after being played in by Thomas, Mason-Clark headed Sakamoto's cross wide, then Simms cut inside to have an effort blocked by Stefan Thordarson - but the loose ball was latched upon by Mason-Clark, who stood up an inviting cross for Rudoni to head in his fourth goal of the season.
And his tally was then quickly matched by defender Thomas, whose header looped in off Preston keeper Woodman's shoulder.
Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom made a triple half-time substitution, bringing on Liam Lindsay, Brad Potts and Emil Riis, all of whom had been dropped to the bench following the 1-1 midweek draw with Millwall.
But it was Coventry who continued to go close as Woodman sprawled to his right to keep out Sakamoto's half-volley and tipped over Simms' shot.
Simms kicked thin air with the goal gaping, before his follow-up from new Sky Blues signing Jamie Paterson's cut-back was kept out by Woodman, who then also denied Rudoni.
Keane then halved the deficit when he bundled Potts' cross over the line, but Coventry closed it out to end their 22-match winless run against Preston, winning for the first time since then manager Iain Dowie's City side won by the same scoreline in September 2007.
'I'm happy with that' - Lampard
Who's next?
Preston, who are now 15th, having won just once in five league games, return to FA Cup action next Saturday.
They face a fifth-round tie at home to Lancashire rivals Burnley (12:15 GMT), followed by a home league game against Swansea City three nights later.
Coventry are also back in action next Saturday lunchtime (12:30 GMT), with an away league trip to Oxford United.
Coventry City boss Frank Lampard told BBC CWR:
"We'd dominated them. They hardly threatened us all afternoon, then they get a goal and suddenly we're nervous. It was uncomfortable in the stadium and it didn't need to be.
"But I'm happy for the club and for the fans. It's nice to lay a few ghosts to rest. It's a a nice feeling for the fans when you have something like that over you.
"We have to continue to build on this. And you just have a good feeling that the fans are really buying into it.
"We have almost everybody fit - and we have different ways of getting goals."
Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire:
"We were second best for large parts. We lacked penetration and threat.
"We made changes at half-time but it was minutes gone before we get in down the side.
"Our problem was when we got in behind them the final pass was missing, which meant we didn't get the opportunities.
"We've been trying to make changes and manage the group to keep the energy because it's a big part of how we play and that's why this next week, we've got a free week, we need to use it really well."
