Preston North End were beaten at Deepdale for the first time in 2024 as an 87th-minute goal saw Stoke City win 2-1.
After Andrew Hughes had inadvertently found the back of his own net in the 64th minute, substitute Milutin Osmajić scored his fifth goal of the season four minutes later to draw level.
The visitors won the game, though, with three minutes left on the clock as a fortunate deflection off Luke McNally went in off the post.
Stoke had the first sniff of the afternoon when Ki-Jana Hoever appeared to be through on goal after a quick counter attack, but a heavy touch allowed Jordan Storey the time to come across to clear.
North End had a penalty shout in the 19th minute as a clever outside-of-the-boot pass by Alan Browne sent Emil Riis on his way, and he went down under a challenge from Ben Wilmot, but referee Josh Smith waved away the appeals.
The first shot on target of the day didn’t arrive until the 38th minute as the ball ran through for Bae Junho to run on to, and he saw a low effort from 20 yards comfortably kept out by Freddie Woodman.
PNE’s No.1 made another save a few minutes later to deny Tyrese Campbell, who opted to shoot rather than pull it across for Junho on the opposite side.
Nine minutes into the second half, the Lilywhites were again appealing for a spot-kick to no avail, as Smith saw nothing wrong with Lynden Gooch’s push on Browne’s back.
Gooch then had a big chance a couple of minutes later, only for Woodman to parry wide, and from the following corner Michael Rose headed over from just a few yards out.
The heavily-involved Gooch was the key to Stoke City’s opener in the 64th minute as he sent a vicious low ball right across the face, and Hughes put into the back of his own net at the back post.
That lead lasted only four minutes, though, as substitute Osmajić got on the end of an inch-perfect Frøkjær cross and headed beyond Daniel Iversen at his front post.
Iversen was required to make a crucial save in the 82nd minute to prevent PNE turning the game on its head, as Ben Whiteman went through on the counter and saw his low strike saved by his former team-mate.
The visitors then scored with three minutes left of the 90 as an Ali McCann clearance inside the area bounced fortunately off McNally, and his touch took it in off the post to win the game.
PNE line-up: Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Hughes; Browne, Whiteman (Ledson, 84), McCann, Millar (Brady, 77); Frøkjær, Keane (Osmajić, 59), Riis. Subs not used: Cornell, Cunningham, Stewart, Woodburn, Holmes, Whatmough.
Stoke City line-up: Iversen; Rose, McNally, Wilmot; Hoever, Baker, Burger (Manhoef, 75), Gooch; Laurent, Junho (Léris, 89); Campbell (Ennis, 84). Subs not used: Bonham, Vidigal, Thompson, Hakšabanović, Cundle.
Attendance: 17,253 (3,114 Stoke City fans).
Referee: Mr J Smith.
