Last updated on .From the section Championship

Sean Maguire's goal was his seventh of the season for Preston

Sean Maguire came off the bench to score Preston's winner against Bristol City at Deepdale and keep North End's play-off challenge firmly on course.

Maguire had only been on the pitch for seven minutes when he was played in by Daniel Johnson and held off two defenders to score with a low shot.

His seventh goal of the season restored Preston's lead after Famara Diedhiou had cancelled out Alan Browne's opener.

City's Aden Flint was sent off for an elbow in second-half stoppage time.

The win moved Preston level on points with Robins and to within a point of the play-off spots as they followed up Saturday's victory at Bolton, when Maguire also delivered victory with two second-half goals on his return from a long-term injury.

Browne gave them a 20th-minute lead with his sixth goal of the season, lobbing Frank Fielding from 25 yards after the goalkeeper had come off his line and was involved in a mix-up with defender Hordur Magnusson.

City levelled midway through the second half as Diedhiou glanced home Bobby Reid's near-post cross but, two minutes later, Preston were back ahead through McGuire's left-foot shot.

The visitors thought they had rescued a point when Reid met Josh Brownhill's cross, only for his side-foot shot to be superbly saved by Preston goalkeeper Declan Rudd at point-blank range.

And their disappointment grew when centre-back Flint was involved in an off-the-ball incident late on.

Preston North End manager Alex Neil:

"We bring Sean on and he does what he does. Sean Maguire being back in the side is a boost as he is a natural goal scorer.

"We looked at starting him but it's a bit too soon and we don't want to bring him in too soon and him break down as he is a key player for us.

"I think we've managed Sean very well. I had the choice over whether to play him for an hour and not have him at the weekend or give him half an hour and have him for the weekend.

"He gives us that shot in the arm."

Bristol City assistant manager Dean Holden on Flint's dismissal:

"Flinty has gone to ground under a challenge he may or may not have had.

"The aftermath is he's got a Preston player come up to him, who I think put his hand through Flinty's hair - it looked like provocation.

"He's reacted and swung his arm at him. Their keeper (Rudd), the panto villain, has made everyone aware of it and it became a bit of a mess there.

"The FA will have to look at it. It's easy to say: 'keep your cool' but this is a big game and emotions are riding high."