Preston moved to fifth in the Championship with victory over promotion rivals Southampton.
North End keeper Andy Lonergan made a string of saves before Neil Mellor hooked the ball home from close range to score against the run of play.
Grzegorz Rasiak equalised with a header that went in off the crossbar before David Nugent brilliantly finished a break with a precise finish.
Chris Baird then directed a Chris Sedgwick cross into his own net.
The result was harsh on Southampton, who drop out of the top six for the first time this year.
But for North End, who lost their last match 4-1 at Cardiff, it was a welcome return to winning ways as they moved three places up the congested Championship table.
Both teams had early openings - Lonergan saving from the excellent Djamel Belmadi and Kelvin Davis smothering a strike from Mellor after a poor header from Gareth Bale played the Preston striker in on goal.
But after that Saints took control - admirably retaining possession in blustery conditions and asking questions of the North End defence.
Lonergan came to Preston's rescue again, saving an Andrew Surnam strike from the edge of the area.
Bale flicked a free-kick over the Preston crossbar, while Claus Lundekvam twice flicked corners dangerously across goal at the near post.
And close to the break Bale and Jermaine Wright combined to play Surman into space 12 yards from goal, but once again Lonergan made a superb save.
Southampton's failure to translate their dominance into goals was punished when Mellor scrambled the ball home from close range after a series of headers caused chaos into the Saints box.
Mellor had an excellent chance to double Preston's lead early in the second half but, with time to pick his spot, scuffed his shot and Davis made a comfortable save.
Much improved from their first-half display, North End threatened again when Mellor came within inches of converting a teasing cross from Danny Pugh.
Sedgwick then headed narrowly wide for the home team - before Saints equalised.
Lonergan parried Wright's volley and Rasiak's first effort but could do nothing to stop the Polish striker from scoring with his second attempt.
Preston scored the decisive third goal through Nugent, who collected a pass from impressive substitute Patrick Agyemang and beat Lundekvam before guiding the ball past Davis.
Southampton's misery was complete when Baird guided the ball into his own net 10 minutes from time.
