Swansea City 4-2 Preston North End - Six goals and two red cards as PNE make play-offs even harder

Preston North End's play-off hopes went up in flames as they were beaten 4-2 at the Liberty Stadium in a fiery encounter that saw six goals and two red cards.

The visitors were way off it in the first half and were punished as such - Joel Piroe netting the home side's first and last goals, with Joe Allen and Harry Darling also scoring for the Swans.

Early in the second half, Tom Cannon scored for PNE, with Troy Parrott adding a second with a smart and composed finish to reduce the deficit to one; before Piroe scored his second and the final goal of the game.

Ryan Lowe made three changes for the game, Alvaro Fernandez, Ryan Ledson and Liam Delap coming into the side, with Robbie Brady, Josh Onomah and Troy Parrott all dropping out.

Those that were dropped instead took a place on the bench, with Ali McCann making a return from injury to take a spot alongside them.

Barely had North End taken give were they behind. Just two minutes into the match Piroe gave the home side the lead as they came forward down the right wing. Swansea's top scorer was afforded the time to take a touch inside the area before dispatching the ball into the back of the net.

North End's first chance of the game came after 17 minutes - chasing shadows largely for the other 15 minutes - with Tom Cannon dragging his effort wide from 20 yards.

Piroe had a chance to double his and Swansea's lead after 22 minutes, the Swans able to carve their visitors open easily to forge a chance for their striker, and though he hit the ball well, Freddie Woodman was able to get two hands on the shot and beat it away.

The Jacks kept looking for a second, Harry Darling getting down the right side of PNE's box before cutting it back to Piroe but his first time shot was fortunately straight at Woodman.

Another brief Preston attack quickly came to an end after 31 minutes, Brad Potts opting to shoot from a tight angle despite players waiting in the middle.

A minute later, Allen's cross from the right was headed over from close range by Liam Cullen, another close shave for Lowe's men.

But their luck ran out on 35 minutes, this time Allen at the end of the chance. Russell Martin's side set off on the break and worked their way through PNE who, like all half, couldn't get near the Welsh side.

Piroe laid the ball back for Manning who carried it down the left wing. He returned the favour and despite already have one for the night, Piroe opted to shift the ball right to Allen with plenty of space, he cut inside a desperate defender before steering the ball into the far corner on his left foot.

They didn't stop there, on 37 minutes Manning's low corner was sent over the bar by an unmarked Piroe in the box before the Swans got their third seven minutes later.

Manning's inswinging free kick from the right found the head of Darling who was unmarked as he made his run and comfortably crashed the ball beyond Woodman.

Having seen enough, Lowe made a triple change at half time - Ben Whiteman, Liam Lindsay and Jordan Storey all making way for Brady, McCann and Bambo Diaby.

Three minutes into the second half, Preston had a goal back. Brady's delivery from the left was dealt with poorly by the Swans' defence. hitting Cannon and then landing for him to finish from inside the box.

Fernandez had a go from a tight angle after 56 minutes, his volley hitting high on the side netting.

Just seconds later Cannon went down in the area looking for a penalty, instead met with a yellow card from referee Oli Langford for diving.

The Everton loanee has more claims for a penalty as he got on the wrong side of Ben Cabango and was seemingly brought down, again Langford waved away his appeals.

Parrott was brought on shortly after and he made an immediate impact. After 71 minutes Daniel Johnson's slide ball down the side of the Swansea defence was weighted perfectly for the run of the Irishman who showed no signs of his poor goalscoring run, confidently lifting the ball over the onrushing Andy Fisher to cut the deficit down to one.

Piroe had a chance to make it four after stealing in behind the North End defence, he rounded Woodman but couldn't find an angle to shoot. He squared the ball for Olivier Ntcham who had come off the bench but the Frenchman could only blaze a shot over the bar with nine minutes to go.

As the game reached 90 minutes, it ignited. Allen and North End manager Lowe had a coming together which resulted in both men getting physical - sparking bedlam. Players and staff from both sides came together furiously in a fracas that lasted minutes, with referee Langford eventually getting some semblance of control back on proceedings and giving both Lowe and Allen their marching orders - the latter having already been subbed.

In the 94th minute the Swans made sure of their win, Brady's awful cross field pass at the back intercepted by Liam Walsh and played into the path of Piroe who made no mistake one on one. Swansea manager Russell Martin made sure to share his celebrations with the PNE bench.

The defeat meant, barring a miracle, the end for PNE's play-off hopes after another defeat in South Wales, with one win now in 22 against Swansea on their turf.

PNE Starting XI: Woodman, Storey (Brady, 45'), Lindsay (Diaby, 45'), Hughes, Potts, Whiteman (McCann, 45'), Ledson, Johnson, Fernandez, Cannon, Delap (Parrott, 68').

PNE subs: Cornell, Woodburn, Onomah.

Swansea City Starting XI: Fisher, Darling, Cabango, Wood, Latibeaudiere, Grimes, Allen (Fulton, 61'), Manning, Cooper, Piroe, Cullen (Walsh, 61').

Swansea City subs: Sondegaard, Paterson, Ntcham, Cundle, Whittaker.

Attendance: 15,433.