Preston broke their three-game losing streak with a 1-0 victory at Stoke thanks to a last-second header from Ched Evans.
A low-quality match that was 15 minutes late because of adjacent traffic was about to end in a 0-0 draw when Evans scored.
With just one victory in their previous seven home games, Stoke manager Alex Neil's team suffered a second straight loss to his former employers. The visitors owe a debt of gratitude to their leading scorer Evans, who stood tall and headed in a dramatic winner late in added time.
After 10 minutes, Harry Clarke fouled Alvaro Fernandez and set up Jacob Brown in a precarious position, giving Stoke their first shot on goal. The Scotland international, though, was unable to hit with enough force and precision to challenge goalkeeper Freddie Woodman.
Less than 72 hours prior, Burnley narrowly defeated Stoke at home, therefore Stoke was on the offensive. As the hosts' impetus mounted, Jordan Thompson sent an attempt over the crossbar and a bustling Brown was unable to finish a Will Smallbone cut-back.
Preston, who had gone six games without keeping a clean sheet coming into the match, looked flimsy defensively and were lucky not to give up before halftime.
A dangerous Josh Tymon cut-back was mishandled by both Tyrese Campbell and his vivacious striking partner Brown during another rapid Stoke counterattack.
Moments before halftime, the hosts twice came dangerously close to seizing a deserving lead, but Preston was saved each time by Woodman. He first made a good save on Campbell's accurate header before denying Brown's close-range shot that took a strange deflection.
For the second half, both teams came back with a strong desire to get better but were unable to forge obvious scoring chances.
The visitors got better over time, but Stoke continued to have the better chances. This time, Liam Delap had one in the six-yard box, but the Manchester City loanee was unable to put the game away. After that miss, it was almost immediately made up for at the other end in front of the 1,606 traveling supporters.
Ben Woodburn sprinted through and volleyed a ferocious effort goalward as Ben Wilmot mishandled a bouncing ball, but Jack Bonham made a save.
Evans, who turned 34 last week, beat the Potters goalie in stoppage time with a precise flick-on to score his sixth goal of the year and give Preston a win that was hardly earned.
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