The result leave the Lilywhites in 14th place with two matches to go, and they could finish the season as high as 11th or as low as 19th in a tightly-packed Championship table.
Speaking after the win over Coventry, Preston' s interim head coach Frankie McAvoy lauded his side's efforts, and claimed: “I never gave the lads any targets (when he took the job) in terms of you need 10 points, nine points, eight points or whatever. What I said to them was we will try and get as many points as we can.
“Our aim was to get the best formation which we thought would give us the platform to go and win as many points. We started off well and then Brentford came and did a job on us.
“Since then I’ve worked hard with Steve Thompson, Paul Gallagher, Mike Pollitt and the analysts to get us back to being as solid as we can to give us a bit of a platform. Are we ahead of schedule in getting safe? I don’t really know because I didn’t set any points target. The job was to be safe and secure in the Championship for next season.”
Next up, Preston take on Barnsley, who has already sealed their play-off spot, at Deepdale this Saturday afternoon.
Here are today's biggest transfer stories and the latest team news involving Preston North End and the rest of the Championship, as the reaction to the weekend action continues:
5. Duo chase Robins youngster
Promoted duo Norwich City and Watford look set to go head-to-head to sign Bristol City starlet Saikou Janneh this summer. There manager Nigel Pearson has spoken publicly of his desire to keep the player, who is also on Brighton's radar. (The Sun) Photo: Harry Trump
6. Boro join race for Delap
Manchester City youngster Liam Delap is continuing to attract interest from Championship clubs over a loan move, with Middlesbrough now eyeing up a move. He's also wanted by Derby, Stoke City, and Cardiff City. (Team Talk) Photo: Charlotte Tattersall
7. Munoz is the main man
Watford stars Nathaniel Chalobah and Will Hughes have claimed manager Xisco Munoz, who joined the club in December, should be given a great deal of credit for the club's promotion, lauding his tactical nous and positive impact on team morale. (BBC Sport) Photo: Richard Heathcote
8. Interest in Dempsey continues to grow
Nottingham Forest could be readying a move for Gillingham midfielder Kyle Dempsey, as interest in the 25-year-old continues to grow. He's previously been linked with Preston North End, Luton Town, and Barnsley. (Football Insider) Photo: Pete Norton