Substitute Jon Parkin fired Preston into the play-off zone with a last-gasp winner over Birmingham.
Super-sub sends Preston sixth
Substitute Jon Parkin fired Preston into the Championship play-off zone with a last-gasp winner over high-flying Birmingham.
Ross Wallace hit an inch-perfect cross from the left into the box which Parkin chested down before firing home to hand his side an unlikely victory.
Birmingham had enjoyed the better of an uninspiring game and came close just after the hour mark when Kevin Phillips headed straight at Preston goalkeeper Andy Lonergan from six yards.
The victory was North End's fourth successive win at home and lifts them into sixth in the table, while Birmingham remain second, six points off leaders Wolves.
The hosts set the early pace and on-loan Sunderland winger Wallace came close to giving Preston what would have been a fortuitous opener when his shot from distance deflected off Quincy Owusu-Abeyie and looped inches over goalkeeper Maik Taylor's crossbar.
Lee Carsley - who netted the only goal in Birmingham's 1-0 win over Plymouth in midweek - hit back for the visitors and forced Preston keeper Lonergan into a smart save with a rasping 20-yard effort moments later.
Birmingham continued to commit men forward in a stuttering opening period, with Radhi Jaidi heading straight at Lonergan following good work down the right from Quincy.
Fierce strike
At the other end, Callum Davidson went close for Preston with a fierce strike from distance that Taylor parried behind.
Blues leading scorer Phillips then almost put the visitors ahead with a typical poached effort from the impressive Quincy's cross, his right-footed effort being dealt with by Lonergan.
And from the resulting Preston attack, Paul McKenna forced Taylor into a diving save as he curled in a left-footed strike from 20 yards.
Wallace again forced a good stop from Taylor in the closing minutes of the half, the winger floating in from the right-hand side and unleashing a fizzing left-footed strike that the Birmingham keeper did well to turn behind.
Quincy then wasted an inviting free-kick in the dying seconds of the half when he fired into the wall after he was fouled.
Second period
In the second period, Phillips should have broken the deadlock but his header from point blank range was incredibly saved by Lonergan.
The previously quiet David Murphy had picked out the 35-year-old with an exquisite chip from the left but Phillips failed to evade the Preston keeper from six yards.
Birmingham, who were looking to keep pace with promotion rivals Reading and Wolves after their respective wins earlier on Saturday, pressed forward in search of a winner, with Nigel Quashie firing in a shot from outside the area.
Substitute Parkin - who netted the winner against Doncaster earlier this week for North End - then wasted the hosts' best chance when he allowed Taylor to gather the ball after being put clean through on goal.
However, the striker atoned for the miss when he found the net from inside the area in stoppage time to hand Preston the three points.
