Preston North End 0-1 Lincoln City: Freddie Draper scores late Imps winner

The first half ended goalless with the hosts having their moments, but failing to convert their chances.

It was more of the same in the second half and those missed opportunities would come back to bite the Lilywhites as Draper headed in Andrei Coubis' long throw in the 81st minute.

The Imps are now unbeaten in their last four league games, while Preston's nightmare start to the season continued with three points from the first 21 available.

Paul Heckingbottom's side started on the front foot, putting in a flurry of crosses into the Lincoln box.

However, it was the visitors who delivered the most meaningful cross in the early stages when Reeco Hackett hung one up for Rob Street whose header deflected behind.

The hosts almost had the lead inadvertently following Andrija Vukcevic's cross, which was heading into the top corner but for an acrobatic save from George Wickens.

One then fell for Johnny Kenny inside the area, but he blazed over. Stanley Mills later tried his luck and saw his effort well saved by Wickens.

Kenny had another opportunity when he came sliding in to meet Alfie Devine's cross from close range and was a whisker away, but was just unable to get there.

Preston were getting closer and their most likely route appeared to be from crosses as Liam Gibbs whipped one in that was just centimetres too high for Callum Lang, before the former then dragged a shot just wide.

The second half continued in the same vein as the home side continued to bombard Lincoln's box with crosses. Lang met one at the far post that came off Wickens' foot and behind, before Kenny tried his luck and tested Wickens again.

The Imps were limited to playing on the break, but still had their chances. Conor McGrandles had a shot saved by Daniel Iversen, and shortly after the Scot clipped one in that was a fraction too high for Ben House at the far post.

House then found himself in a bit of space inside the box and his ball across cannoned on to the body of Harry Clarke, but appeals for a penalty were waved away.

Preston kept pushing as Jordan Storey had one cleared off the line by Dom Jeffries.

But they would be left to rue their missed opportunities late on. Coubis' long throw into the box was met by Draper, whose found the net with the deftest of touches with his head.

The hosts probed late on and continued to put balls into the box, which Lincoln defended resolutely to hold on to three crucial points.

"We're really frustrated. While we're not in front, they're going to have their counter-attacks, opportunities and set plays and 90 per cent of the time we dealt with it, but ultimately it was their biggest weapon.

"While we're not getting in front, they're going to have their opportunities - counter-attacks and set plays.

"There's no lack of effort there. We had opportunities, but we didn't force the big moments to go our way. But that's something we have to put that right, the only way to stop that noise at the end of games is to win games.

"They defended their box really well and they were the ones who forced a scrappy goal in at the other end.

"I can't be critical of the effort of the players, but we are missing that - what Lincoln did today - being the ones that force the ball in. The margins are so fine."

"Our supporters want full throttle football and that's what we're trying to give them. We take lots of learning from the top teams and try and replicate our version of it.

"We've built this success over the last few years on the real ugly side of football, and we're very proud of how we play.

"We've recruited, nurtured and developed a set of players that have got incredible character like I've never seen before in my time in the game. We pride ourselves on those horrible, ugly things.

"If you saw our training ground, it's very competitive and we have a lot of 0-0 draws in training because the lads defend the cage so well, so we pride ourselves on that.

"All the other stuff will come over time and we will be threatening at this level. There were glimpses of that today and Freddie gets the goal he deserves."

What the result means and next fixtures...