Preston climbed to within two points of Coca-Cola Championship leaders Birmingham and dumped Lancashire rivals Burnley further into relegation trouble.

Goals from David Nugent and substitute Patrick Agyemang either side of half-time secured the points for North End, who picked up a fourth win on the bounce at home and left the Clarets without a win in 18 matches,

The visitors had the better start but Nugent, on the stand-by list for England's Euro 2008 qualifiers against Israel and Andorra at the end of the month, produced a cool finish just after the half hour to grab his 16th of the season and send his team in ahead at the break.

Kyle Lafferty hit the post for Burnley early on and Graham Branch also rattled the crossbar in the second half but Agyemang's strike killed off the hopes of a comeback from Steve Cotterill's side, who have now scored once in five games.

But North End did not have it all their own way - particularly in the opening stages.

With just two minutes gone, Burnley winger Wade Elliott's free-kick from the right was met by Lafferty - but goalkeeper Andy Lonergan turned the header onto the post and wide.

With just over 10 minutes gone, Jon Harley fired wide from a free-kick 25 yards out as the visitors continued to control.

But, as has so often been the case this season, the Clarets were unable to turn dominance into clear chances.

Franck Songo'o rifled just over from Preston's first sight of goal after a quarter of an hour.

And in the 33rd minute they were made to pay by a clinical Nugent finish.

Matt Hill's long throw was chested down by Brett Ormerod to put Nugent into a yard of space near the penalty spot - and he guided the ball into the corner of the net.

With eight minutes of the half remaining, Mike Duff's free-kick sailed to the far post, where Steve Jones cut in and thumped a shot straight at Lonergan.

After a swift Preston break, Callum Davidson drove just high and wide and Chris Sedgwick was also narrowly off target before the interval.

A minute and a half after the restart, Ormerod latched onto Hill's header down the left flank and his cross was headed just past the near post by Nugent.

Following a poor Preston clearance, substitute Branch hit the bar from just outside the area.

But at other end a Danny Pugh corner reached the far post - only to hit Hill and bounce over.

Just past the hour, a Chris McCann header from Elliott's corner was deflected wide by Pugh on the post.

With 15 minutes remaining, Agyemang scored with his first touch to sealed the win the points.

Lafferty went down in the Preston box but the hosts cleared down the left where Nugent cut in and coolly fed Agyemang, who drove a low shot into the corner from the edge of the box for his seventh goal of the campaign.

The Clarets continued to graft and Eric Djemba-Djemba went close with a late free-kick - but Preston cruised to victory.

Teams:

Preston Lonergan, Alexander, St. Ledger, Chilvers, Hill,Songo'o (Agyemang 72), Sedgwick (Nowland 90), Davidson, Pugh,Nugent, Ormerod (Dichio 80).

Subs Not Used: Henderson, Soley.

Booked: Songo'o, Alexander, Pugh.

Goals: Nugent 33, Agyemang 75.

Burnley Coyne, Duff, Caldwell (Branch 47), McCann, Harley,Elliott, Djemba-Djemba, James O'Connor (Spicer 76), Jones,Akinbiyi, Lafferty.

Subs Not Used: Jensen, Garreth O'Connor, Gudjonsson.

Booked: McCann, Duff, Harley, Elliott, Branch.

Att: 17,666

Ref: C Webster (Tyne & Wear).