Last updated on .From the section Championship

Alan Browne (second from right) broke the deadlock to put Preston 1-0 ahead in the first half

Preston stretched their unbeaten run to five Championship games and extended struggling Bolton's wait for a win in the process.

Alan Browne put Preston ahead as he found the back of the net with a low shot in the closing stages of the first half after combining with Tom Barkhuizen.

Barkhuizen doubled the visitors' lead in the second half when he raced on to Sean Maguire's through ball before slotting past Remi Matthews.

Clayton Donaldson swept in a 90th-minute consolation for Bolton after Callum Connolly headed back across goal before Josh Magennis was denied a stoppage time leveller soon after by Declan Rudd's save.

Bolton's last league victory was against Rotherham on 26 December.

Preston's margin of victory could have been more emphatic had Matthews not tipped a Brad Potts second-half shot on to his crossbar or raced off his line in time to block Lukas Nmecha when through on goal.

Marc Wilson also had to make a last-ditch clearance on his own goal line from Browne with the score at 0-0.

Bolton are now without a win in their past seven Championship games and have lost five of their past six. They stay second-from-bottom, four points adrift of safety while Preston climb four places to 14th.

Bolton Wanderers boss Phil Parkinson:

"We have got to find a way of playing and stick to it. We didn't get any control like we have in recent games.

"Before their second goal we were having a good period in the game but a basic mistake cost us again.

"We can't afford to give cheap goals away. We are up against decent sides and we have got to give ourselves a chance."

Preston North End manager Alex Neil:

"If we are being fair to ourselves it probably should have been four - and that's being reasonable.

"We created six or seven golden opportunities. But I was here when Bolton played Reading.

"Reading were winning 1-0 and were quite comfortable in the game but Bolton rallied to get a goal at the end.

"That's why I had some frustrations because I knew when you get those opportunities you need to take them. If you do you can kill the game and kill the momentum."