Leicester City's fine home record was ended by the one team who have a better record at the Walkers Stadium than themselves, Preston North End.

Alan Irvine's Lilywhites had won their previous four visits to The Walkers Stadium and they made it five consecutive wins with a confident performance against the newly promoted Foxes.

Preston looked comfortable for the entire 90 minutes of the game and scored a goal in each half with Neil Mellor grabbing the first before setting up his room-mate Richard Chaplow for the second. They unneccasarily made things a little twitchy for themselves when conceding a 90th minute Bruno Berner goal but deservedly held on to claim all three points and move up to third in the Championship table.

North End made five changes to the side that exited the league cup at the hands of Tottenham on Wednesday night. The cup-tied Neill Collins returned to partner Liam Chilvers in central defence as Youl Mawene moved to the bench. Billy Jones returned to his preferred role at right back in place of Michael Hart, whilst in midfield Richard Chaplow returned to the starting side. Top scorer Chris Brown partnered Neil Mellor in attack to complete the line up that was captained by Andy Lonergan, known to Leicester fans for scoring from his own area in this fixture back in 2005.

League One champions Leicester City named ex PNE defender Wayne Brown in a line up that included in-form striker Matty Fryatt, who is the only Leicester forward to have scored this season. Matt Oakley captained Nigel Pearson's side that were looking to avenge the 2-1 league cup defeat at Deepdale earlier in the season. Leicester's goal scorer that night, Nicky Adams could only make the bench for the 9th placed Foxes, as they looked to continue their unbeaten home record that stretches back over a year.

The match got off to a lively start, with the fan, particularly the travelling Lilywhites contingent making themselves heard. It was the home side who managed to get their first shot away though, when in the 4th minute Richie Wellens hit a right footed strike from 25 yards following a scramble to get the ball clear in the PNE box. Fortunately for PNE his shot was well over Lonergan's goal.

The only other half chance of the opening ten minutes fell to Neil Mellor. The striker latched onto a Chris Brown ball in the box, but it was too close to Foxes keeper Chris Weale who spread himself well to stop Mellor poking the ball past him from six yards out.

It was the 16th minute that Alan Irvine's side really sparked into life. Following a spell of pressure from the flanks, Neil Mellor exchanged passes with Billy Jones down the right, the latter being through on goal. Jones then managed to cut the ball back to an unmarked Chaplow at the far post, however the PNE number four lost his footing at the crucial moment and he could do little to prevent his shot going over.

The midfielder almost made amends two minutes later when he caught Leicester on the break, running almost the length of the pitch only to see his cross to Wallace agonisingly intercepted at the last moment by Tunchev.

From that very interception Leicester almost took the lead themselves. The dangerous Fryatt burst through down the left channel, but as he looked set to test Lonergan for the first time, Liam Chilvers came across to block and deny him the opportunity.

Fryatt continued to cause the Preston back line problems with his runs, and in the 22nd minute he connected with a right foot volley that went just over the crossbar. At the other end Chris Brown came close for North End, his header not having quite enough power to beat the diving Chris Weale.

Leicester would have been 1-0 up in the 29th minute through Matt Oakley. Matty Fryatt had cut inside to tee up the Foxes skipper, who saw his shot saved brilliantly by Lonergan's right foot. The rebound fell to Paul Gallagher on the left, but he could control his header, which looped over the bar.

The Lilywhites were playing for spells of the first half with ten men, as Ross Wallace had to leave the field on a couple of occasions to receive treatment following a late challenge that sent the Scotsman flying worryingly through the air. Robbie Neilson, the offender, deservedly received a booking for the tackle.

The opening goal came in the 42nd minute and it was Neil Mellor with the strike, his sixth of the campaign so far. Billy Jones was the provider; he showed fantastic skill and composure in the area, turning the Leicester defence left, then right, before setting up Mellor for a right foot strike 18 yards out. Mellor coolly slotted the ball into Chris Weale's bottom left corner.

Mellor very nearly put Preston two up a minute later when the ball fell to the striker at the far post, but Weale did well to block the shot and keep Leicester hanging on.

The home side had the last chance of the half in stoppage time, as Berner headed a corner straight at Lonergan, meaning the Lilywhite took their goal lead into the second half.
Alan Irvine's side continued where they left off in the second half. Ross Wallace, Chris Brown, and Neil Mellor all swarmed the Leicester box, and in the 47th minute nearly made the most of a good Billy Jones cross from the right. Wallace volleyed it in but it didn't quite fall to a white shirt and Leicester cleared.

The home sides main threat unsurprisingly was coming from Fryatt, who shot over again in the 50th minute. Despite his constant runs into the box, Chilvers and Collins didn't seem to be having too much trouble clearing their lines.

Fryatt, Mellor, and Chaplow and had chances blocked, but right on the 57th minute it was left back Eddie Nolan who stepped out from defence and got a clean shot away. Chaplow did well to retrieve the ball on the right, then gave it to Nolan who cut inside beautifully, beating two men. He hit his right foot shot low and hard to Chris Weale's right, and the City keeper did well to hold onto it.

Leicester followed almost immediately with a chance of their own. Richie Wellens found himself with the ball at the far post and setting up three-goal winger Dany N'Guessan, but under pressure from a tight North End defence he blasted his shot over the top.

The hour mark brought more good work from PNE. Billy Jones crossed from deep on the right, and found Richard Chaplow on the penalty spot. The midfield man was presented with a difficult header, and was unfortunate to see his header loop over the top.

Leicester boss Nigel Pearson clearly felt changes were needed if Leicester were going to get anything from the game, so Dany N'Guessan and Steve Howard made way for the pacey Lloyd Dyer and striker Martyn Waghorn.

The double change was not going to stop Preston today though, as shortly after the changes, in the 66th minute Neil Mellor broke away with a lung busting run from his own half. He found himself one on one with ex-PNE defender Wayne Brown, but kept his composure to unselfishly slide a ball through to the far post for Chaplow to a foot on and extend North End's deserved lead to 2-0.

The score line dictated that Leicester must improve their performance or risk losing their undefeated home record. After a spell of pressure by the Foxes they did come agonisingly close in the 74th minute. Lloyd Dyer managed to control the ball at the far post and give it to Fryatt, whose turn and shot was saved by Lonergan. It was the rebound that looked to have brought the breakthrough though, when Matt Oakley ghosted in at the far post and tried to poke the ball home beyond a scrambling Chilvers. The shot luckily went into the side netting, and the resulting ripple of the net fooled the home crowd into thinking it was 2-1, much to the amusement of the PNE fans.

Leicester's final change came on 77 minutes, Richie Wellens leaving the action and striker Yann Kermorgant, who made his Leicester debut against Preston in the league cup joining.

It seemed nobody in the Leicester side had brought any shooting boots, the point being proven in the 80th minute when the ball fell invitingly on three occasions in quick succession to Fryatt, Dyer, and finally Neilson. Neilson's shot rose high into the stand when it looked like all he had to do was get in on target.

As the game came to a close and Leicester's spirit looked to be wilting in the sun, it was Neil Mellor who continued to search hardest for the goal to kill the game off. He nearly had it won in the 87th minute after he cut inside from the right only for his effort to be deflected into the path of Chris Weale.

Then, in the final minute of normal time it looked like Preston could live to regret some of those missed chances. Bruno Berner pulled one back for the Foxes with a left foot strike from the left side of the box. Lloyd Dyer had found space on the box, allowing Oakley to have a strike, the rebound falling to Berner who made no mistake.

The referee signalled four minutes of stoppage time, which meant Leicester and their fans suddenly burst into life, sensing that they could get something from the game.

However poor late efforts from Robbie Neilson amongst other meant the wind was taken out of their sails and Preston would come away with three points and a well earned away win.

Manager Alan Irvine will be delighted with the performance over a tough Leicester side that started as favourites for the clash. Preston's fantastic start continued as they moved upto third position and stay in touch with the top three.