Jon Parkin struck 18 minutes from time as Preston got their promotion push back on track against Coventry.
Coventry let lead slip away at Deepdale
Jon Parkin struck 18 minutes from time as Preston got their promotion push back on track with a 2-1 success over Coventry.
The Sky Blues took the lead through Clinton Morrison with less than 20 minutes on the clock before Ben Turner headed into his own net to restore parity.
And it was left to Parkin to end North End's unhappy run of just one point from their previous three games.
Alan Irvine's men were largely dominant throughout and winger Ross Wallace provided a steady supply of ammunition from the left flank, only for Parkin and Stephen Elliott to fire blanks in the opening 45 minutes.
Preston began brightly and in the 12th minute Chris Sedgwick crossed dangerously from the right flank and Parkin's deft touch found Elliott, who fired wide from 12 yards.
Four minutes later another teasing delivery from Sedgwick found Parkin at the far post, but he could only divert the ball onto the roof of the net.
Moments later Coventry caught Preston cold when Stephen Wright was given the time and space to ghost into the penalty area and drive a low right-foot shot goalwards and Morrison tapped home from close range.
Preston's response was encouraging and Parkin engineered the space for a shot which Coventry skipper Scott Dann blocked superbly.
Another cross from Wallace was volleyed over by Elliott and then Parkin scuffed a Wallace delivery straight at Keiren Westwood.
Coventry almost doubled their advantage in the 29th minute when Jordan Henderson found Morrison and his low, first-time shot required home goalkeeper Andy Lonergan to make a smart stop.
Momentum
Yet the momentum remained largely with Preston and after Freddy Eastwood fouled Youl Mawene, Wallace curled in a deep free-kick which Turner headed high into his own net.
Coventry almost restored their lead on the stroke of half-time but Eastwood's fine strike from 22 yards struck the outside of the post.
Turner almost made amends for his own goal in the 54th minute when he arrived at the far post and hit a low shot which required Preston midfielder Barry Nicholson to make a fine block.
Nicholson was injured in the process and had to be replaced by Darren Carter yet Irvine's men went in pursuit of a winning goal.
Parkin fired over in the 60th minute and the arrival of Neil Mellor for the below-par Elliott buoyed Preston and they claimed maximum points with 18 minutes remaining.
A clearance from Westwood was quickly returned into Coventry territory and Parkin burst clear onto the loose ball, displaying outstanding poise to round the visiting stopper and fire a left-foot shot into the empty net.
Simon Whaley, another second-half substitute, twice had opportunities to put Chris Coleman's men out of sight but he was denied by Westwood and then blazed over the bar moments later.
