Cameron Archer’s curling effort ten minutes from time gave Preston North End the three points against Peterborough United.
The Aston Villa loanee got his third goal for the club with a brilliant left-footed strike which found the top corner on 80 minutes, proving to be the only goal of the game.
North End almost had the lead within six minutes as Andrew Hughes’ cross from the left caught out the goalkeeper, sailing over his head and striking the crossbar, but fortunately for him it bounced away from goal.
The next chance of note came on 25 minutes, as Cameron Archer’s pullback was hit goalwards by Daniel Johnson, only to be blocked at close range, and Emil Riis couldn’t quite get his follow-up acrobatic effort on target.
Daniel Iversen was needed on the half-hour mark as he caught Jonson Clarke-Harris’ poked effort from six yards, before diving to comfortably save Ollie Norburn’s strike from the edge of the box.
The Danish goalkeeper was then thankful to see Reece Brown’s effort go wide from a similar distance, after Posh had earned the ball back deep inside the PNE half.
Goalless at the break, the hosts then had the best chance of the game so far ten minutes into the second period, as Joe Ward was sent through on goal, but again Iversen was equal to it, producing a superb stop with his right leg.
Moments later North End had a huge let-off, with Ward finding Kwame Poku, who somehow sent his effort over the bar from no more than a couple of yards out.
The woodwork was then to thank as Ward almost scored a remarkable free-kick from all of 30 yards, as he saw his strike dip over Daniel Iversen before hitting the bar.
It looked as though the game may be heading for a stalemate, but up popped Archer ten minutes from time, receiving the ball from Browne before cutting on to his left foot and expertly finding the top corner.
Peterborough United line-up: Benda; Thompson, Knight, Kent, Coulson (Mumba, 61); Brown, Fuchs (Marriott, 79), Norburn; Ward, Clarke-Harris, Poku (Jones, 85). Subs not used: Cornell, Szmodics, Grant, Morton.
PNE line-up: Iversen; van den Berg, Bauer, Hughes; Potts, Whiteman (Ledson, 77), Browne, Johnson, Earl (Sinclair, 69); Riis (Evans, 61), Archer. Subs not used: Ripley, Lindsay, McCann, Rafferty.
Attendance: 9,072 (1,020 PNE fans)
Referee: Mr T Robinson.