Aleksandar Mitrovic was poised to fire a volley at goal when a cross fell to him, but Preston's Alan Browne just nicks the ball off his toe.

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The St James' Park crowd stand to their feet as Jonjo Shelvey, booked earlier on, comes off to be replaced by Jack Colback.

Shelvey has been so central to Newcastle's promotion bid this season, he deserves the accolades.

As a contest, this game is over.

Preston, with 10 men, can do nothing but sit back against a side with promotion-winning quality.

I think the way this match would be capped off for Newcastle would be if Aleksandar Mitrovic was to get a goal. 

The Serbian forward has worked so hard for his side today and probably deserves to be on the scoresheet, just like he has done in his two other games against Preston this season.

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Newcastle are enjoying this now as Ayoze Perez and Isaac Hayden play a lovely one-two in the area to set the latter free, but his shot is blocked.

Then moments later, Aleksandar Mitrovic fires high and wide from a good position in the box.

Meanwhile, Preston make a change as Daryl Horgan comes on for Aiden McGeady.

He may not have known much about it, but Ayoze Perez has put some gloss on this victory.

Jonjo Shelvey's corner cannons off the post and it just hits the Spaniard and goes in. Farcical goal, but they won't care.

Meanwhile, a change for Newcastle as Christian Atsu has come off for Yoan Gouffran.

Shay Given
Ex-Newcastle goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 live

It's a massive goal. Great credit to Matt Ritchie - he showed so much composure. And you can hear the famous atmosphere now.

Preston's Paul Gallagher does his best goalkeeper impression and handles on the line instinctively.

The referee has no hesitation and points to the spot and gives him a red card.

He looks distraught.

Isaac Hayden nearly finds Newcastle's third from a corner with a turn and shot in the six-yard box but Chris Maxwell gets down to stop his effort.

From the resulting corner Matt Ritchie's strike is charged down.

Paul Gallagher's delivery from set-pieces is usually so much better than this.

Preston win a free-kick on the left-hand wing, but the midfielder curls it right into the palms of Rob Elliot.

Disappointing.

Newcastle foray forward and Ayoze Perez swings in a cross with a severe amount of curl, which Christian Atsu can only head at the back of Preston defender Tyias Browning and the ball is cleared away to safety.

Preston are having a little spell of pressure here at the moment, and Aiden McGeady has a crack this time, but his low strike is blocked by Jamaal Lascelles.

The anxiety is palpable.

The first yellow card of the match goes to Newcastle midfielder Jonjo Shelvey for a foul about 30 metres from goal.

Paul Gallagher has a pop at goal, but it's straight at the wall.

That was so nearly the equaliser for Preston.

Paul Gallagher plays a superb cross-field pass to set Tom Barkhuizen away into the box down the left, but his cross is just too high for an onrushing Jordan Hugill, who would have surely found the net if he could connect.

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Preston are battling in this match, that's for sure.

This time goalscorer Jordan Hugill is penalised for a foul on a Newcastle defender when a break forward looked to be on for the visitors. It looked soft, and Hugill isn't impressed.

Another corner for Newcastle as Ciaran Clark plays a long ball forward and Aleksandar Mitrovic plays it off a Preston defender for a corner.

The ball into the box is towards Mitrovic, but it deflects off a defender and behind for another corner, which comes to nothing.

The forward has looked lively today.

Matt Ritchie has another swing at a corner, but again the ball has been cleared by the Preston defence. How many times have we said that tonight?

You do get the feeling, though, that if Ritchie can get it right, there will be nothing Preston can do about it.

Preston are so, so lax at the back this time and it's Paul Gallagher with a slack pass that nearly allows Ayoze Perez to score, but his effort is dealt with by Chris Maxwell.

It was oh so nearly game over, and it would have totally been Preston's own fault.