Preston North End 1-0 Hull City

Brad Potts struck the only goal as Hull City’s away struggles continued with a Boxing Day defeat at Preston North End.

Regan Slater skied the Tigers’ best opportunity after just six minutes as Potts’ hour-mark strike condemned City to a fifth consecutive away reverse.

Defeat leaves the Tigers in the relegation zone at the halfway stage of the Sky Bet Championship season, third bottom with 19 points from 23 matches.

Mason Burstow was rewarded for his delightful winning goal against Swansea City with a starting berth for Rubén Sellés’ 100^th match in management.

The 21-year-old was one of two changes to the City line-up, with Sean McLoughlin replacing the absent Charlie Hughes at the heart of defence.

Abu Kamara dropped to a bench that also included Finley Burns and Tyrell Sellars-Fleming, with Xavier Simons not involved.

Recent meetings have produced few goals – a paltry two in the past five encounters, with the last two at Deepdale finishing goalless – but the latest match-up should have seen one early doors.

João Pedro’s deft first touch took him away from Jack Whatmough, his firm right-footed finish was repelled by keeper Freddie Woodman but Regan Slater blazed the rebound horribly over the bar.

Slater was left breathing a sigh of relief moments later after Kaine Kesler-Hayden went down in the area under his robust challenge but Preston’s penalty appeals fell on deaf ears.

The rest of a drab first half was well contested but offered little in the way of incident with both sides threatening only sparingly.

Milutin Osmajić swept wide from Mads Frøkjær’s centre and then sent a first-time effort straight at Ivor Pandur from Kesler-Hayden’s pull-back after a promising run down the left.

One speculative Gustavo Puerta effort from range was charged down and another, on the volley from a half-cleared corner, sailed harmlessly over the top.

The Lilywhites’ best moment came on the cusp of half-time, Ben Whiteman meeting Kesler-Hayden’s peach of a cross on the volley but steering wide of the near post.

Matty Jacob came on for Ryan Giles at the break but Preston started the second half the stronger, Osmajić lashing off target from a difficult angle after latching onto Potts’ searching pass.

Sam Greenwood scuffed across goal and wide after possession was lost inside the penalty area, with Abu Kamara introduced immediately after for Ryan Longman.

Paul Heckingbottom’s men were building momentum and opened the scoring on the hour mark when Kesler-Hayden’s precise first-time cross was smartly side-footed home by Potts from 12 yards.

The Tigers almost found an equaliser on 69 minutes when Burstow’s placed finish towards the far corner required an excellent one-handed stop from Woodman to touch the ball around the post.

Abdüş Ömür and Chris Bedia were sent on in place of Slater and Pedro with City in need of greater attacking thrust, with Cody Drameh replacing Lewie Coyle six minutes from time.

Drameh nearly made an instant impression, his curling cross almost sneaking in at the back post but for the impressive reactions of Woodman to beat the ball away.

Woodman was in the right place again to gather Burstow’s effort before holding Jacob’s determined header from Puerta’s free-kick deep in stoppage time.

Attendance: 16,521

Extended highlights of Preston North End vs Hull City are available to watch on Tigers+

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