Coventry City's winless league run at Deepdale continued as the Sky Blues suffered a 1-0 defeat to Preston North End.

Sean St Ledger's neat header on 21 minutes gave the Lilywhites all three points on an afternoon when City failed to capitalise on the chances they created.

Michael Mifsud and Leon Best went close but it was not to be for the Sky Blues despite sustained pressure in the second half.

Iain Dowie made two changes to the side which beat Barnsley 4-0 at the Ricoh Arena last weekend.

Danny Fox was unavailable due to gastric flu, so Marcus Hall came into the side at left-back. Hall only returned to action in the reserves in midweek after a long spell out because of an Achilles injury.

Robbie Simpson started up front in place of Mifsud, who was rested after playing for Malta in midweek. The diminutive striker had to be content with a place on the bench.

Andy Marshall returned to the bench for the Sky Blues.

In a scrappy affair on a sunny afternoon in Lancashire, both sides failed to carve out any real opportunities in the opening 10 minutes.

That changed 60 seconds later when Darren Carter collected the ball in the middle of the park and fired a shot inches wide of Konstantopoulos' post.

The Sky Blues began to find their rhythm shortly after and nearly went a goal to the good courtesy of Preston's Liam Chilvers. Following Michael Doyle's cross, the defender almost headed the ball into his own net.

Shortly after, Best flashed a header just wide but all the good work was undone on 21 minutes when Preston took the lead. Carter's accurate cross found St Ledger at the far post, who guided his header into the bottom corner.

The goal did not seem to give Dowie's side renewed impetus and the Lilywhites created the better of the opportunities midway through the first half namely through Paul McKenna with a header.

Isaac Osbourne tried his luck with a shot from range but it was a comfortable save for keeper Andy Lonergan. Chris Brown nearly doubled North End's lead on 40 minutes when he found himself in acres of space yet the striker could only manage a tame shot which Konstantopoulos comfortably saved.

Konstantopoulos kept the Sky Blues in the game on the stroke of half-time with a magnificent save to deny Simon Whaley. The shot stopper showed his agility to get down well to Whaley's goal bound strike.

City emerged from the interval revitalised with Michael Hughes replacing Stephen Hughes.

Best's rasping drive stung the hands of Lonergan, who did well to tip the ball over the bar. Mifsud was brought into the action on 56 minutes to freshen up the attack and it worked.

A goal mouth scramble emerged following good work from the combination of Mifsud and Best. Yet somehow the Sky Blues could not find a way past a resolute Preston rear guard.

The pace of Mifsud was causing Alan Irvine's side problems and Jay Tabb went close following Best's neat turn inside the penalty area.

The Maltese striker was at the heart of all the Sky Blues' good work and the impish forward tested the agility of Lonergan with a fierce low shot from 20 yards.

St Ledger should have furthered the Lilywhites' advantage on 75 minutes when he escaped his marker but the defender could only guide his free header into the grateful hands of Konstantopoulos.

Three minutes of stoppage time were added but City could muster that all important equaliser.

Preston North End: Lonergan; Sedgwick; Hawley (Omerod 80); Brown (Mellor 86); Carter; St Ledger; Chilvers; Whaley; McKenna; Hill; Jones.

Subs Not Used: Chaplow; Mawene; Szamotulski

Coventry City: Konstantopoulos; Osbourne; Ward; de Zeeuw; Hall (Dann 81); Tabb; Hughes S (Hughes M 46); Doyle; Gray; Best; Simpson (Mifsud 56)

Subs Not Used: Marshall; Davis