Goals from Diego Leon and Jon Macken helped Barnsley to a second away win in four days to end a manic week and give their Championship survival hopes a huge boost at Preston.

Leon bent in a brilliant free-kick from 25 yards to give Simon Davey's side a half-time advantage before former North End hero Macken buried a contentious penalty.

Captain Stephen Foster then scored a crazy own goal to test the visitors' nerves but they held on for a vital three points.

The Tykes suffered heartache at Wembley in last Sunday's FA Cup semi-final defeat to Cardiff but climbed out of the relegation zone on Wednesday night with a shock 3-0 win at Watford.

And despite seeing Alan Irvine's side dominate the majority of the game Barnsley twice hit them on the break to ensure that the hosts' own relegation concerns will linger on.

Neil Mellor went close to converting Billy Jones' sumptuous cross from the right in a lively opening for Preston before Youl Mawene missed a great chance.

Mawene headed down Darren Carter's corner to Mellor who laid the ball off to Simon Whaley on the edge of the area.

The winger side-stepped a challenge before hitting a shot which was blocked into Mawene's path eight yards out.

But the centre-back snatched at his shot and put it wide.

Mellor then headed another excellent cross from Jones narrowly over before Darren Carter nearly broke the deadlock with a quickly-taken free-kick that beat goalkeeper Luke Steele but drifted wide.

And it was a set-piece at the other end which did provide the opening goal in the 33rd minute.

Mawene was penalised for a barge on Macken and Leon stepped up to whip a superb strike over the wall and into the top corner from the left-hand side of the area.

The impressive Jones then brought a flying save out of Steele in the opening minutes of the second-half after a corner was worked back out to him and Carter's follow-up was blocked by Rob Kozluk.

Jones - playing more or less as a winger after the break - then carved open the Barnsley defence with a superb inside pass but Whaley carelessly blasted his cross over with Mellor well placed in the middle. And the visitors penalised North End by grabbing a second on the break in the 55th minute.

Jamal Campbell-Ryce cut in from the left before playing a ball into Kayode Odejayi's feet. The targetman produced a clever back-heel back into the winger's path and referee Anthony Taylor harshly penalised Jones for his challenge as he tried to cut it out.

Macken took the kick and slotted it low into the bottom-right corner to double the lead.

Irvine instantly made a double change and one of his subs, Lewis Neal, was next to test Steele with a low drive.

And the other replacement, Richard Chaplow, was involved as Preston pulled one back in farcical scenes in the 67th minute. Chaplow saw a low drive blocked and rebound out to Karl Hawley. His chipped cross was going nowhere but Foster - standing alone on the penalty spot - made a complete mess of his header and lobbed the ball over Steele and into the top corner.

Odejayi was then put in by Macken on another dangerous break but Andrew Lonergan pulled off an excellent save to deny the big striker.

Substitute Istvan Ferenczi then wasted a great chance to wrap up the win when a poor first touch allowed Sean St Ledger to make a tackle before Chaplow's dipping volley flashed wide.

Barnsley had to endure a mystifying five minutes of added time but held on to move to within two points of Preston and more importantly climb further away from danger.

Teams

Preston Lonergan, Davidson, Mawene, St. Ledger, Jones,Sedgwick, Carter (Chaplow 56), McKenna, Whaley (Lewis Neal 55),Hawley, Mellor.

Subs Not Used: Chris Neal, Hill, Trotman.

Booked: Sedgwick.

Goals: Foster 67 og.

Barnsley Steele, Nyatanga, Souza, Foster, Van Homoet, Kozluk,Hassell, Campbell-Ryce (Togwell 89), Leon,Odejayi (Coulson 78), Macken (Ferenczi 76).

Subs Not Used: Letheren, Butterfield.

Booked: Macken, Ferenczi, Kozluk.

Goals: Leon 33, Macken 55 pen.

Att: 13,994

Ref: Anthony Taylor (Greater Manchester).