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Preston made it to the play-offs on an afternoon of high drama on either side of the Pennines.
>> Relive the dramatic final day of The Championship season with our minute-by-minute guide of how the drama unfolded
Thousands of fans spilled on to the Deepdale pitch in celebration after goals from Jon Parkin and Sean St Ledger gave North End the win they needed to finish a marvellous season in the top six.
News had already been flashed from Hillsborough that rivals Cardiff had lost 1-0 at Sheffield Wednesday to hand Alan Irvine's side a ticket into the end of season knockout and the stadium erupted.
They will play Sheffield United, with the first leg at Deepdale on Friday.
Tickets will go on sale at Deepdale at 9am on Monday morning.
North End had gone into the final league match knowing only a victory would be good enough and they duly obliged, finishing the year with the best home record in the Championship.
Parkin fired them ahead seven minutes before the interval after a mistake by keeper Radek Cerny.
Old boy Patrick Agyemang came back to haunt North End when he equalised in the 57th minute.
But a header from St Ledger 15 minutes from time did the trick and kept North End in with a chance of making the Premier League at the end of Irvine's first full season in charge.
Darted
A parade of Deepdale legends from six decades got the crowd in fine voice for the kick-off and the noise was deafening from the outset.
The roof would have come off altogether had a defender's outstretched foot not diverted a Billy Jones header away for a corner after just six minutes when the full-back darted in on the blind side to meet a Paul McKenna free-kick.
Rangers looked lively on the break and defender Mikele Leigertwood went close with a long range effort which flashed narrowly wide of the left-hand post.
Then speedy winger Wayne Routledge got down the right and pulled the ball back for Rowan Vine, but his shot was straight at Andrew Lonergan.
In the 12th minute Sedgwick had the ball in the Rangers' net but the effort was chalked off for an offside flag.
Sedgwick got in a great cross moments later, but keeper Radek Cerny plucked it out of the air just in front of Parkin as he shaped up to bury it.
PNE old boy Patrick Agyemang put a header well wide of the target when he was left in acres of space in the home box.
And then it was North End's turn to waste a good opening when St Ledger mis-hit his shot just 10 yards out after Neil Mellor had teed him up.
Whaley went close with a cracking shot from outside the box which hit Ramage and looped up over keeper Cerny's head, but dropped just over the bar.
Backpass
From the corner St Ledger looked to get a hefty shove in the back from a defender but referee Michael Oliver waved away the penalty claims.
And Mellor was only inches too high with an effort from out on the left.
The momentum was now with North End and it finally paid off in the 38th minute when defender Kaspars Gorkss fluffed a backpass allowing Parkin to pounce, take it past keeper Radek Cerny on the right and, from the narrowest of angles, the big striker finished into the far corner with a flourish to send the crowd wild.
The celebrations were dampened with news that Burnley had gone ahead at home to Bristol City and then 2-0 up moments later. But at least Preston were doing their bit as they finished the first half in front.
Preston were straight on the offensive after the break trying to increase their lead and Jones had a great chance within two minutes but he could not get any power on his header after St Ledger had nodded a cross back inside.
Agyemang got free on the left of goal but he dithered and his shot was deflected for a corner. But Preston had had no such luck in the 57th minute when their old boy popped up with the goal that levelled matters.
The ball was slotted through to him and the striker turned before clipping his shot under Lonergan and into the net.
That was the cue for North End to pile everyone forward, their impetus increased by the crowd reacting to news that Cardiff had gone a goal down at Hillsborough.
Roared on with every attack Irvine's men set up wave after wave of attacks, but the visitors would not give an inch.
Thunderbolt
Mellor was wasteful twice, skying shots into the crowd when team-mates were in better positions. An Eddie Nolan free-kick very nearly crept in at the far post, but the keeper's fingertips kept it out.
McKenna volleyed inches wide after Whaley's shot had been deflected for a corner. Parkin was crowded out as he tried to work a shooting chance on the penalty spot. And Sedgwick was denied when his thunderbolt hit a defender full in the face.
Then, with 15 minutes remaining, the goal North End's pressure had deserved arrived.
A long throw from Parkin was flicked on by Brown and St Ledger finished it off with a header which clipped a defender on the line and flew up into the roof of the net.
Parkin had a chance to make it 3-1 when substitute Brown teed him up 12 yards out, but the striker clipped his first-time shot straight at the keeper.
With the crowd continuing to roar North End on knowing they would be in the play-offs if they coiuld hold out, Rangers threw men forward looking to capitalise on the nervousness of the occasion.
But the home side held firm despite a couple of nail-biting moments in stoppage time, with Carter making a goal-line clearance just before the
final whistle blew.
The whistle signalled a mass pitch invasion with fans ignoring the loudspeaker warnings not to go on to the playing surface. Eventually the crowds cleared to allow the players to get to the safety of the dressing room.
Radios
Earlier, Darren Carter and Simon Whaley came in for suspended duo Lee Williamson and Ross Wallace for a match North End knew they must win to have any chance of sneaking into the play-offs.
Irvine's side were aware that even three points against Gareth Ainsworth's Rangers would not be enough on their own without the help of results elsewhere.
All ears were on transistor radios for the state of play at both Turf Moor and Hillsborough where Burnley needed a win against Bristol City and Cardiff required a point against Sheffield Wednesday to keep Preston out of the end-of-season knockout.
Irvine kept faith with the other nine heroes of St Andrews as skipper Paul McKenna made his 400th league start for the club and his 474th appearance overall.
Barry Nicholson, who broke a rib saving a certain goal in the win over Coventry in mid-March, returned to the squad with a place on the bench as midfield cover.
Rangers, under the caretaker management of one-time Deepdale darling Ainsworth, included another PNE old boy with striker Patrick Agyemang makinmg his first return to the club since he moved to Loftus Road 16 months ago.
The Londoners made four changes to the side beaten 1-0 at home by Plymouth last weekend.
Preston North End: Lonergan, Jones, Mawene, St Ledger, Nolan, Whaley, McKenna, Carter, Sedgwick, Mellor, Parkin.
Substitutes: Neal, Brown, Nicholson, Chilvers, Elliott
.
Queens Park Rangers: Cerny, Leigertwood, Gorkss, Mahon, Delaney, Connolly, Routledge, Ramage, Ephraim, Vine, Agyemang.
Substitutes: Balanta, Hall, Cole, German, Alberti.
Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland)
ATT: 18,264
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Weather for Preston
Wednesday 08 February 2012
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