Cardiff were hit for six after being destroyed by Coca-Cola Championship play-off rivals Preston at Deepdale.

Neil Mellor opened the scoring in the 17th minute and the former Liverpool striker added a second in the 41st minute with a low shot from distance.

Cardiff, whose automatic promotion hopes were dealt a massive blow by this result, missed a penalty on the stroke of half-time when Ross McCormack's effort was saved by Andy Lonergan.

And the Bluebirds' misery was complete when Preston struck again after the break through Jon Parkin, an own-goal from Mark Kennedy and further goals from substitute Chris Brown and Lee Williamson.

Preston began the day four points behind sixth-placed Burnley with three games remaining.

They started brightly but were almost undone in the 11th minute when Cardiff striker Jay Bothroyd found the space to hit a left-footed shot from six yards.

Preston goalkeeper Lonergan made a smart stop to deny Bothroyd and the pendulum soon swung in Preston's favour.

They were rewarded when Mellor found the space to fire home a right-foot shot from six yards in the 17th minute after a deft header from Parkin.

The goal was another reminder of Mellor's striking prowess after had found the net in the 2-0 win at Doncaster on Easter Monday.

However, Cardiff came back strongly and in the 22nd minute Peter Whittingham delivered an inswinging corner and Roger Johnson's firm header from six yards was repelled by Lonergan.

Cardiff went even closer in the 27th minute when Kevin McNaughton crossed dangerously and Bothroyd headed wastefully over the crossbar.

Ross Wallace then fired wide from 30 yards for Preston before Bothroyd drew another fine stop from Lonergan in the 35th minute.

Bothroyd collected possession on the edge of the 18-yard box and hit a fierce left-foot shot which forced Lonergan to tip the ball over the bar for a corner.

From the resulting corner by Whittingham from the left byline, midfielder Gavin Rae hit a fierce right-foot volley from 18 yards which sailed just wide of Lonergan's left-hand post.

In the 41st minute it was 2-0 when Johnson cleared a free-kick only as far as Mellor and his low right-foot shot whistled into the net from 20 yards.

Cardiff had an opportunity to haul themselves back into the game in the 45th minute when Billy Jones fouled Joe Ledley but McCormack's right-foot penalty was saved by Lonergan.

Preston dominated after the break and Wallace was denied by Bluebirds goalkeeper Stuart Taylor in the 48th minute.

However, Taylor was powerless to prevent the hosts claiming a third goal in the 51st minute when Mellor supplied Parkin and the big striker rifled home a powerful shot from 18 yards.

Three minutes later it got worse for Cradiff as Kennedy headed a cross from Mellor into his own net and Preston went in search of more goals.

They were rewarded in the 75th minute when Brown - who replaced Parkin in the 58th minute - greeted a cross from Chris Sedgwick with a firm header which flew into the back of the net.

The sixth goal arrived four minutes from time when Williamson swept home a fine pass from Wallace to leave Cardiff stunned.

Teams:

Preston Lonergan, Jones, Mawene, St. Ledger, Nolan, Sedgwick, McKenna (Carter 77), Williamson, Wallace, Parkin (Brown 58),Mellor (Elliott 67).

Subs Not Used: Neal, Chilvers.

Booked: Williamson, Parkin.

Goals: Mellor 17, 41, Parkin 51, Kennedy 54 og, Brown 75,

Williamson 86.

Cardiff Taylor, McNaughton, Gyepes, Roger Johnson, Kennedy (Comminges 65), Whittingham (Chopra 46), Rae, McPhail, Ledley, McCormack, Bothroyd (Eddie Johnson 76).

Subs Not Used: Heaton, Purse.

Booked: Rae.

Att: 13,692

Ref: Keith Stroud (Hampshire).