Kelvin Wilson grabbed an 89th-minute winner for Preston to cap a dramatic second-half comeback which saw them keep the pressure on at the top of the Coca-Cola Championship with victory over play-off chasers Stoke.

North End were on the rocks after a disastrous opening 10 minutes as two errors by Wilson allowed Liam Lawrence and Mamady Sidibe to score before substitute Simon Whaley teed up Paul McKenna and David Nugent to equalise for the Lilywhites before Wilson atoned for his start with a scrambled winner.

The game was just two minutes old when Michael Duberry's aimless long ball forward was only half cleared by Wilson under pressure from Sidibe and Lawrence reacted first to crash in a half-volley from 10 yards which goalkeeper Carlo Nash could only parry into the net.

Paul Simpson's side had conceded just eight goals all season at home before kick-off but were shell-shocked by Stoke's bright start and found themselves further behind when Sidibe grabbed his fifth goal of the season.

Again indecision from Wilson allowed Sidibe to muscle his way through and when Nash could only tip his header into the air the Mali international was able to head the rebound over the line despite a desperate clearance attempt by Liam Chilvers.

Sidibe then broke clear down the left and his cut-back was curled in by Lawrence but Nash was able to hold on.

Preston's England Under-21 international Nugent then went close with an improvised chip which drifted narrowly over and Brett Ormerod arrowed a drive from the edge of the area narrowly wide as the first half came to a close.

Simpson's side started the second period brightly but it was the introduction of Whaley for Chris Sedgwick in the 59th minute which turned the game on its head.

Stoke's defence - expertly shielded by debutant Dominic Matteo after his free transfer from Blackburn - had dealt comfortably with Preston but the pace of Whaley caused them to fall apart.

First a 63rd-minute free-kick was not fully cleared by Stoke and Whaley laid the ball back to the waiting McKenna who drove powerfully right-footed across Stoke goalkeeper Steve Simonsen from 25 yards into the bottom left corner.

And 11 minutes later the former Bury winger skipped inside Andy Griffin to perfectly centre for Nugent to plant a header into the top corner from eight yards for his 10th goal of the season.

Nugent then saw a powerful volley deflected over as Simpson's side piled on the pressure before former England striker Michael Ricketts was handed a home debut as a late substitute.

And after he won a corner, Lewis Neal's delivery was fumbled at the near post by Simonsen and Wilson turned the ball home from two yards.

Teams

Preston Nash, Alexander, Chilvers, Wilson, Hill, Lewis Neal,Sedgwick (Whaley 59), McKenna, Pugh, Nugent,Ormerod (Ricketts 88).

Subs Not Used: Lonergan, Dichio, St. Ledger.

Goals: McKenna 65, Nugent 74, Wilson 89.

Stoke Simonsen, Wilkinson (Brammer 77), Duberry, Higginbotham,Griffin, Hoefkens, Matteo, Russell, Lawrence, Sidibe,Pericard (Rooney 83).

Subs Not Used: Eustace, Sweeney, Dickinson.

Booked: Wilkinson, Simonsen, Hoefkens.

Goals: Lawrence 2, Sidibe 7.

Att: 15,151

Ref: R Beeby (Northamptonshire).