Under pressure boss Frankie McAvoy made changes from the midweek team that faced Liverpool. Barkhuizen was given a start at right wing back with Van den Berg playing as part of a back three.
The midfield looked healthy with Whiteman and Mccann playing alongside Browne. Whilst Luton were poor Preston dispatched their visitors to the relief of the home support.
North End took the lead in the first half thanks to Riis who is fast answering Preston's call for a proven goalscorer. The Danish striker was outside the box to the right hand side when he fired in a ball past the keeper. The ferocity of the shot stunned everyone as it hit the net.
The lead was doubled just before the break when the referee blew for a foul in the box. Riis converted the penalty and in reality the visiting team were out of the game.
Sinclair had the best chance in the second period after he came on as a substitute. He was played through but the on rushing keeper managed to smother his shot.
Iversen was called into action in the second period and kept a clean sheet with a superb save from a deflected powerful long range effort as time was ticking down.
Preston still sit in 19th place but now have a cushion over the bottom three. They face a touch test away at Bournemouth in midweek before travelling to Nottingham Forest at the weekend.