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Tom Clarke's goal helped Preston on their way to a pivotal win

Preston North End kept up their faint Championship play-off hopes with a five-goal thrashing of relegation-threatened Bristol City.

Tom Barkhuizen's sixth in 11 games put North End a goal up at the break, as the Robins largely foiled the hosts.

The floodgates opened after the break, first when Callum Robinson went down and Aiden McGeady netted from the spot.

Skipper Tom Clarke headed in a free-kick for the third, before Robinson's two close-range strikes capped the win.

Simon Grayson's Preston are five points behind Sheffield Wednesday, who now occupy the final play-off spot, while Bristol City are just a point above the drop zone.

It has been an impressive run of form to put the Lillywhites in contention, with just two defeats from the turn of the year, but with 13 draws from 40 games they might have left it too late to catch the teams above.

Although needing the points for equally important reasons, Bristol City capitulated to their 21st and biggest league defeat of the season.

The best of City's chances came before the break, with David Cotterill, Bailey Wright and Tammy Abraham unable to beat Chris Maxwell in the Preston goal.

It proved costly as the in-form Barkhuizen eventually found a way past their keeper Frank Fielding and once McGeady and Clarke had stretched out the scoreline, Robinson smashed in twice after neat build up play to give Preston's goal difference a boost in the battle for a top-six place.

Preston boss Simon Grayson told BBC Radio Lancashire: "It ended up being a good night for us. First half got the goal, said at half time had to be quicker with the ball, move it around quicker. Key moments change games and Chris Maxwell's save from Bailey Wright was one of those at 1-0.

"From there, we got full steam ahead, got the penalty and then played with confidence and swagger without being too complacent and scored some very good goals.

"It was good for us to get that base to go from, some of the goals we scored and some of the play was exceptional. You saw the players enjoying what they are doing and it's been a great night for us."

Bristol City head coach Lee Johnson told BBC Radio Bristol: "It's devastating, frustrating and I'm angry. The first half we've played some excellent football, I felt we were the better side, and were unlucky to come in 1-0 down.

"But in those moments we need to be tougher. Whether it be balls into the box, finishing, 50-50 tackles. In that 20 minute spell in the second-half we capitulated. We've got to be tougher.

"Nobody can say they've had a good game but it's frustrating because we really weren't that bad in the first half. In my opinion it wasn't a 5-0 game but we got beaten 5-0 and there are three or four really poor defensive errors that cost us."