North End played Carlisle on Boxing Day where they came away with a one nil victory thanks to a curling first half Josh Brownhill strike. The game should have been dead and buried in the second half but King put his free header straight at the keeper when it seemed easier to score.
Preston were roared on by a sell out allocation of over 1500 at Carlisle and similar numbers travelled down to Shrewsbury for the fixture on 29 December.
The game at Shrewsbury was a drab affair but Preston came away from the match with all three points aftertheir second consecutive one nil away win. Hume will claim the goal although the papers record that it was definitely an own goal.
The Whites returned home for a cracker of a game on New Year's Day against Port Vale. Grayson switched to a very attacking formation which paid off in the early stages.
The home side went three ahead thanks to two goals from Garner and a 25 yard screamer from Paul Gallagher. It could have been more with Hume hitting the post
Vale came back into the game late on with two headers, the first from a great cross but the second from a throw in where there appeared to be some pushing and shoving.
In the end Preston held on for the win cementing fourth place in the league some 10 points ahead of Walsall who occupy the spot just outside the play offs. More importantly North End are five points from top and only two off second placed Wolves who Preston play in their next league game.