There were no changes from either side at half-time, and Preston created the first opening within a minute of the restart. Devine collected a long throw on the edge of the penalty area and shot, but Hackett was well placed to make the block.
City survived a more concerning moment shortly afterwards when Preston sent a long ball forward and Wickens came out of his goal, only to find himself stranded. McGrandles read the danger and hooked a volley into the crowd before the hosts could take advantage.
Harry Clarke was fortunate to escape the first yellow card of the afternoon in the 50th minute. Adam Reach had beaten him for pace and was looking to go around the defender when he was pulled back, but the referee awarded only a free-kick. City worked the resulting set piece to Reach on the edge of the area, although his low shot was blocked despite the midfielder having time to take aim.
Clarke then barged his way into the City penalty area at the other end and saw his shot blocked. Moments later, Kenny found space inside the box and, despite Andrei Coubiș closing him down, managed to direct an effort on target which Wickens saved.
Three successive Preston corners increased the pressure on the Imps. A push in the back went unpunished during the second delivery, before Bradley won the third and was clattered into by Clarke, who finally received the game’s first booking.
City could have taken the lead after 54 minutes. Good work inside the penalty area presented Reach with a shooting opportunity and, when Iversen made the save, the loose ball appeared ready to drop for House. It narrowly evaded him, denying the Imps what would have been a clear chance from close range.
The referee then inadvertently got in City’s way twice during the same attack, first blocking Hackett and then McGrandles. The midfielder still managed to send a cross towards the back post, but it sailed over House.
Freddie Draper and Ivan Varfolomeev replaced Bayliss and Street after 59 minutes, with City immediately appealing for a penalty when House’s effort struck a Preston defender. Replays showed the ball had hit the shoulder and the referee was right to wave away the claims.
Clarke was fortunate again two minutes later when his high boot came dangerously close to House’s face. Preston then made a triple change, introducing Léo Leroy, Jusef Erabi and Delano Burgzorg for Liam Gibbs, Callum Lang and Kenny.
Dom Jefferies and Chiedozie Ogbene were introduced after 68 minutes, replacing Hackett and the injured Oyegoke. Jefferies was immediately required at the other end when a deep Preston corner caused problems inside the City penalty area, hooking the ball off the line to preserve parity. House led the counterattack and had Draper free through the middle, but he could not find the pass.
Thierry Small replaced Vukčević before the balance of the game began to swing towards the hosts. A long-range effort from Clarke was blocked by Varfolomeev, and the resulting corner dropped underneath Wickens’ crossbar. The goalkeeper punched it clear, with Ogbene keeping the ball alive and looking to launch a break which eventually came to nothing.
The Imps continued to push despite the final ball regularly letting them down. Draper battled to win a corner from very little after 78 minutes, typifying the spirit in the performance, although the delivery came to nothing after Andrew Hughes had replaced Mills. Ogbene then went through following good work from Draper. The angle was tight and Iversen made the save, turning his effort out for a throw-in.
City made the breakthrough from that route after 81 minutes, producing an almost carbon copy of the winner at Bolton. Coubiș launched a long throw into the penalty area and, although it did not bounce on this occasion, Draper rose above the Preston defence and powered a header beyond the despairing Iversen. The home crowd, silent most of the game, went quieter.
The goal gave the Imps further encouragement and another long throw caused problems before Preston cleared. Coubiș collected the loose ball and crossed towards goal, forcing Iversen to punch behind for yet another throw.
Jefferies was booked after 86 minutes for a foul which followed House unsuccessfully trying to win a free-kick of his own, despite appearing to have been impeded. Preston threatened two minutes later when Small delivered into the area, but Coubiș headed behind for a corner.
Ryley Towler replaced Reach as the set piece was about to be taken. Jordan Thompson eventually delivered towards the near post, where Draper was waiting to make an important clearance.
Some Preston supporters began heading for the exits as four minutes of added time were indicated. Coubiș then produced another excellent piece of defending, shielding the ball as it threatened to stay in play before earning a goal-kick from the resulting deflection and celebrating the decision like a goal. There was still time for Ogbene to try his luck from distance, although his weak effort travelled straight at Iversen when better options appeared to be available.
While the early table means very little, the Imps climbed to 16th, four points clear of the bottom three and, remarkably, just two shy of the top eight. With two tough games coming up against Bristol City and Swansea City, it was the perfect start to the week, peeling away from the bottom three in El-Mashico.
Bars are scaled to the best figure in this match, and each rank is against the players who actually registered that stat — "3rd/12" is third of the twelve who managed one. This is a within-match ranking, not a league-wide one, which a single match cannot give. Radar axes are scaled the same way, and are left out for goalkeepers, whose near-zero attacking figures would draw a meaningless dot.
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