'It is my job to fix it' says Preston North End manager Alex Neil as the Lilywhites suffer a fifth straight home Championship defeat

The Lilywhites were beaten for a fifth league game in a row at home,going down to a 2-1 defeat.

Riley McGree netted the opening goal for the visitors with a little more than a minute played, Jayden Stockley producing a wonderful finish for the equaliser.

But in the 85th minute, substitute Gary Gardner was left unmarked to head Birmingham's winner.

North End manager Neil said: "The simple fact is I have to find a solution.

"Football is a funny old game, had we won the game today we would probably have gone into the top 10 which could have looked like a decent return.

"If we did't win, our home record gets called into question again.

"I didn't think we deserved to lose. We weren't great, I didn't think Birmingham were great.

"We had the chances to win it and as a manager that is extremely frustrating.

"As always it falls on my shoulders to try and fix it and that is what I will try to do.

"It's easy when things are going your way but when they aren't going your way you have to take it on the chin and come back strongly.

"We have got to make sure we are better for the next game."

Neil admitted the defending the defending for both goals was poor.

Birmingham got behind them for the opening goal from a routine long ball, while Gardner got a free header for the winner.

"The goals we conceded were poor," said Neil.

"The first one was such a straight forward, simple ball forward. We ended up on the floor and the ball ended up in the net."

North End suffered a couple of injury worries in the full-back positions.

Darnell Fisher returned after more than a month out with a hamstring injury but had to come off with cramp in the hamstring.

Left-back Andrew Hughes also pulled up with a hamstring issue but with North End having made all three substitutes, had to soldier on until the end.

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