Leicester returned to form after back-to-back defeats to heap the pressure on Preston manager Darren Ferguson.
Paul Gallacher's superb strike ensured the Foxes leapfrogged above North End in the Championship table.
His finish from 12 yards followed a move begun by Martyn Waghorn before a final neat pass from Yuki Abe.
Wayne Brown almost snatched a point for North End but his header, which came in injury time following a lacklustre 90 minutes, drifted just inches wide.
Preston are now fourth from bottom, level on points with third from bottom Bristol City, while Sven-Goran Eriksson's team are up to 19th.
An entertaining opening quarter with plenty of chances was as good as it got for the 21,212 in attendance; the encounter then descended into a dour affair.
Gallagher's 36th-minute finish handed the points to the hosts, who was marginally the better team throughout, his goal coming against the team he spent four months on loan with in 2007.
Eriksson made seven changes to the side which started Tuesday's 4-1 Carling Cup defeat to West Brom, reverting to his strongest line-up. Ferguson, in contrast, made just one switch from the line-up which saw off Crystal Palace 4-3 last weekend, Adam Barton coming in for the suspended Jon Parkin.
Barton, the precocious 19-year-old midfielder, should have broken the deadlock with just 25 seconds on the clock but could only curl wide from 12 yards.
At the other end, Gallagher forced a fine save from Andy Lonergan and Waghorn sliced wide for the hosts when in a really good position.
Despite that spicy opening, the game failed to provide much entertainment.
Preston defender Brown was booed at every opportunity on his return to the Walkers Stadium following his summer exit after a training ground bust-up, and his 67th-minute booking was no exception. Yet it was Brown who came within a whisker of providing a dramatic conclusion.
Live text and stats
Saturday, 30 October 2010
Npower Championship
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Leicester
1-0
Preston
FT
(HT 1-0)
Gallagher 36
Leicester
01 Weale
05 Miguel Vitor
16 Naughton
25 Hobbs
10 King
19 Wellens
22 Abe
32 Cunningham
07 Gallagher (Oakley 89 yellow card)
12 Fryatt (Howard 62)
14 Waghorn (N'Guessan 70)
Substitutes
13 Logan,
04 Morrison,
15 Berner,
08 Oakley,
23 Moussa,
09 Howard,
17 N'Guessan
Preston
01 Lonergan
03 Davidson (Gray 82)
04 St. Ledger
05 Brown yellow card
19 Jones
06 James
07 Coutts
11 Treacy
15 Barton (Mayor 84)
20 Russell (Parry 70)
16 Hume
Substitutes
25 Arestidou,
02 Morgan,
12 Gray,
37 McLaughlin,
14 Mayor,
17 Parry,
38 Proctor
Ref: WardAtt: 21,212
LEICESTER
PRESTON
Possession
Leicester55%
Preston45%
Attempts on target
Leicester5
Preston1
Attempts off target
Leicester5
Preston3
Corners
Leicester10
Preston5
Fouls
Leicester12
Preston9
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+4:27 The referee brings the game to a close.
90:00+3:42 The ball is sent over by Keith Treacy, Headed effort from deep inside the penalty area by Wayne Brown misses to the left of the goal.
90:00+2:57 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Billy Jones by Matt Oakley. The free kick is delivered left-footed by Keith Treacy from right channel, Steve Howard manages to make a clearance. Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Danny Mayor, Yuki Abe makes a clearance.
90:00+2:57 Booking Matt Oakley is cautioned by the ref for unsporting behaviour.
90:00+2:20 The assistant referee signals for offside against Dany N'Guessan. Sean St. Ledger restarts play with the free kick.
90:00+0:53 Dany N'Guessan challenges David Gray unfairly and gives away a free kick. Andy Lonergan takes the direct free kick.
89:24 Paul Parry is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Chris Weale takes the indirect free kick.
88:10 Substitution Matt Oakley joins the action as a substitute, replacing Paul Gallagher.
86:25 Kyle Naughton produces a drilled right-footed shot from 30 yards. Blocked by Wayne Brown. Outswinging corner taken by Paul Gallagher, save by Andy Lonergan.
85:19 Paul Gallagher takes the chance to get an effort at goal. Save by Andy Lonergan. Paul Gallagher takes a inswinging corner.
83:39 Substitution Danny Mayor replaces Adam Barton.
82:24 Sean St. Ledger concedes a free kick for a foul on Steve Howard. Paul Gallagher produces a strike on goal direct from the free kick.
81:44 Paul Parry concedes a free kick for a foul on Angelo Miguel Vitor. Chris Weale takes the indirect free kick.
81:44 Substitution (Preston) makes a substitution, with David Gray coming on for Callum Davidson.
80:36 The offside flag is raised against Dany N'Guessan. Andy Lonergan restarts play with the free kick.
79:09 Keith Treacy is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Chris Weale takes the indirect free kick.
77:55 Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Paul Gallagher from the right by-line, Steve Howard gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Billy Jones. Andy Lonergan takes the direct free kick.
76:14 Free kick awarded for a foul by Paul Gallagher on Keith Treacy. Keith Treacy crosses the ball in from the free kick.
75:55 Dany N'Guessan has a curled shot. Save made by Andy Lonergan.
73:26 Angelo Miguel Vitor gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Iain Hume. Paul Coutts takes the direct free kick.
72:20 The assistant referee flags for offside against Billy Jones. Indirect free kick taken by Greg Cunningham.
69:05 Substitution Paul Parry comes on in place of Darel Russell.
69:05 Substitution Dany N'Guessan joins the action as a substitute, replacing Martyn Waghorn.
68:24 Keith Treacy challenges Kyle Naughton unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Richie Wellens.
66:57 Unfair challenge on Steve Howard by Wayne Brown results in a free kick. Richie Wellens takes the direct free kick.
66:57 Booking Wayne Brown receives a yellow card.
65:18 Inswinging corner taken by Keith Treacy from the right by-line, Chris Weale makes a save.
62:17 Free kick awarded for a foul by Martyn Waghorn on Sean St. Ledger. Sean St. Ledger restarts play with the free kick.
61:36 Substitution Steve Howard is brought on as a substitute for Matt Fryatt.
58:54 Greg Cunningham produces a left-footed shot from the edge of the box and misses to the right of the goal.
58:17 Martyn Waghorn gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Sean St. Ledger. Direct free kick taken by Sean St. Ledger.
53:58 The ball is swung over by Keith Treacy.
52:41 Matt Fryatt is caught offside. Andy Lonergan restarts play with the free kick.
51:07 Andy King has a drilled shot. Blocked by Wayne Brown. Outswinging corner taken by Paul Gallagher from the left by-line, Jack Hobbs challenges Wayne Brown unfairly and gives away a free kick. Andy Lonergan takes the free kick.
48:33 Centre by Callum Davidson, Chris Weale makes a save. Shot from deep inside the area by Keith Treacy goes over the bar.
47:49 Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Keith Treacy, clearance by Andy King.
45:01 The second half has started.
Half Time
45:00+1:08 The referee blows for half time.
41:50 The ball is crossed by Keith Treacy.
38:57 Kyle Naughton fouled by Adam Barton, the ref awards a free kick. Kyle Naughton takes the direct free kick.
37:29 Outswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Iain Hume, Angelo Miguel Vitor makes a clearance.
35:53 The assist for the goal came from Yuki Abe.
35:53 GOAL - Paul Gallagher:Leicester 1 - 0 Preston Paul Gallagher finds the back of the net with a fantastic goal from inside the penalty area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Leicester 1-0 Preston.
31:46 Kyle Naughton crosses the ball, Sean St. Ledger manages to make a clearance. Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Martyn Waghorn.
29:55 Darel Russell concedes a free kick for a foul on Paul Gallagher. Free kick taken by Angelo Miguel Vitor.
27:37 Martyn Waghorn concedes a free kick for a foul on Matthew James. Direct free kick taken by Callum Davidson.
26:49 Free kick awarded for a foul by Matt Fryatt on Callum Davidson. Free kick taken by Wayne Brown.
26:13 The assistant referee flags for offside against Keith Treacy. Chris Weale takes the free kick.
25:37 Short corner taken by Martyn Waghorn.
24:43 Corner taken left-footed by Martyn Waghorn from the right by-line, Iain Hume makes a clearance.
24:05 Free kick awarded for a foul by Sean St. Ledger on Matt Fryatt. Free kick crossed right-footed by Paul Gallagher from left channel, Wayne Brown manages to make a clearance.
23:03 Effort from long range by Richie Wellens goes wide of the left-hand upright.
Correction - 20:42 The ball is sent over by Keith Treacy, Adam Barton takes a shot. Inswinging corner taken by Iain Hume from the left by-line, save by Chris Weale. Jack Hobbs makes a clearance.
20:42 Keith Treacy crosses the ball, Adam Barton takes a shot. Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Iain Hume, save by Chris Weale. Clearance made by Jack Hobbs.
19:16 The assistant referee signals for offside against Adam Barton. Free kick taken by Angelo Miguel Vitor.
17:12 A cross is delivered by Yuki Abe.
16:01 Foul by Darel Russell on Andy King, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Kyle Naughton.
14:26 Adam Barton fouled by Paul Gallagher, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Billy Jones.
13:50 Martyn Waghorn gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Wayne Brown. Andy Lonergan restarts play with the free kick.
11:56 The ball is sent over by Kyle Naughton.
10:26 Shot from just outside the box by Matt Fryatt goes over the target.
8:43 Martyn Waghorn is caught offside. Andy Lonergan takes the indirect free kick.
8:23 The assistant referee flags for offside against Iain Hume. Jack Hobbs takes the indirect free kick.
7:27 Martyn Waghorn has an effort at goal from just inside the box that misses to the right of the goal.
6:32 Martyn Waghorn takes the inswinging corner, Andy Lonergan makes a save. Inswinging corner taken by Paul Gallagher, Adam Barton makes a clearance.
4:23 Inswinging corner taken by Martyn Waghorn.
3:05 Unfair challenge on Yuki Abe by Keith Treacy results in a free kick. Martyn Waghorn delivers the ball from the free kick left-footed from right channel, clearance by Darel Russell.
2:08 Centre by Andy King.
0:25 Effort on goal by Adam Barton from inside the penalty box misses to the right of the target.
0:00 The game begins.
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