Preston's bid to secure a place in the Division One play-offs for the second successive season ended in failure despite a hard-fought last-day victory at home to Nottingham Forest.

North End went into the game knowing victory would allow them to sneak into sixth place in the table - but only if Burnley lost at home to Coventry and Norwich lost at home to Stockport.

Neither result went Preston's way, but late goals from Mark Rankine and Richard Cresswell salvaged some pride after Marlon Harewood had fired Forest into a 30th-minute lead.

North End boss Kelham O'Hanlon named the same team which lost 2-0 at Crystal Palace last Saturday.

But Forest were forced to make one change after striker Adam Proudlock was recalled by Wolves from his loan spell at the City Ground this week.

Manager Paul Hart brought Gareth Williams into midfield and pushed Andy Reid up to join Marlon Harewood in attack.

It was the home side who made the brighter start and Clyde Wijnhard's header from a Paul McKenna cross forced an early save from Darren Ward.

There was certainly no end-of-term listlessness about the game and the competitive edge between the sides resulted in bookings for Forest's Jon Olav Hjelde and Preston's Rob Edwards inside the first 15 minutes.

Forest signalled their intent to make a game of it as they pushed forward and Eugen Bopp unleashed a fierce drive from the edge of the penalty area which Tepi Moilanen was forced to tip over the crossbar.

And the visitors caught Preston on the break when Jack Lester squared the ball for Harewood, who coolly went round Moilanen and slotted home from close range.

Forest's leading scorer had a chance to double his side's lead in injury time, but he fired his shot wide of the left-hand post.

Preston came out with renewed purpose after the interval, but Wijnhard wasted a great chance from another McKenna cross when he headed wide after 62 minutes.

However Forest continued to pose a threat and David Prutton had already volleyed wide before Harewood fired in a shot from 18 yards out that Moilanen managed to palm over.

O'Hanlon made a double substitution 20 minutes into the second half in a last bid to get his side back in the game, bringing Rankine and David Healy on to replace Michael Keane and Wijnhard.

Healy came close to pulling the hosts level within five minutes, but his shot was comfortably caught by Ward.

But it was fellow substitute Rankine who got Preston's equaliser when he fired in from the centre of the penalty area after good work by Cresswell.

And it was the former Leicester striker who ensured that North End's season ended on a winning note when he popped up in the six-yard box to convert Healy's cross.

Teams

Preston Moilanen, Alexander, Jackson, Gregan, Edwards, Ainsworth, McKenna, Etuhu (Anderson 45), Keane (Rankine 67), Wijnhard (Healy 67), Cresswell.

Subs Not Used: Lucas, Eaton.

Booked: Edwards.

Goals: Rankine 75, Cresswell 87.

Nottm Forest Ward, Louis-Jean, Scimeca, Hjelde, Brennan, Prutton, Lester, Williams, Bopp (Gray 80), Harewood, Reid.

Subs Not Used: Roche, Westcarr, Kevin Dawson, Jones.

Booked: Hjelde.

Goals: Harewood 30.

Att: 17,390

Ref: M Brandwood (Lichfield).