Reading: Bond, Taylor, McShane, Ferdinand, Gunter, Robson-Kanu (John), Williams, Norwood, McCleary (Fernandez), Vydra, Blackman
Reading caretaker boss Martin Kuhl made three changes to the team that lost 1-0 at QPR with Jonathan Bond restored in goal, captain Paul McShane replacing loanee Michael Hector and Hal Robson-Kanu in for Alex Fernandez. There was also a spot on the bench for 17-year-old Josh Barrett but no room for Orlando Sa or Lucas Piazon.
In fairly miserable conditions in Lancashire neither team was able to produce much quality early on. The best chance of the first half fell to Preston when Adam Reach hit the post, while Nick Blackman fired a free-kick just past the post but otherwise things were pretty tepid.
Into the second period and the hosts soon had a great chance to take the lead when McShane hauled down Joe Garner inside the box. The Preston striker duly got up and beat Bond to give the home side a lead they didn't give up.
That's not to say that Reading didn't have chances, with Nick Blackman in particular guilty of wasting a 1-on-1 that you'd have put your house on him to score back in September.
1-0 it ended and the result means that Reading are without an away win since September while we've won just one in of our last nine Championship games.
Rob Langham of The Two Unfortunates will be along with a full write up and player ratings a little later this weekend while attention will once again switch back to our hunt for a new manager.