Coventry had the first chance after nine minutes when a cross by Dele Adebola from the left fell to Claus Jorgensen, whose left-foot shot went wide of the right-hand post.
Richard Duffy was booked for throwing the ball away in disgust at a decision by the referee after 12 minutes and Coventry City goal keeper Luke Steele made a great save to tip over and Eddie Lewis left-foot inswinging right-wing corner a minute later.
Coventry took the lead after 14 minutes when a left-wing cross by Michael Doyle from the byline fell to Jorgensen who headed into the bottom left-hand corner of the net from eight yards out.
The referee awarded a penalty to Preston after 21 minutes when Matthew Hill played a one-two with Richard Cresswell and beat Andy Whing, Doyle and Adrian Williams but was fouled by the latter and the referee pointed to the penalty spot.
Graham Alexander hit the penalty right-footed to the keeper's right to make it 1-1.
Cresswell made it 2-1 two minutes later after a left-wing cross by Lewis was missed by Chris Sedgwick, but Cresswell turned to beat Dean Leacock with a right-foot shot low into the net.
Whing had a right-foot free-kick saved by Andy Londergan for a right-wing corner.
Whing was booked for foul on Hill after 47 minutes and the resulting free-kick was taken by Alexander right-footed from the left wing and Preston captain Chris Lucketti met it with a six-yard header into the top middle of the net.
Gary McSheffrey was booked for foul on Youl Mawene after 54 minutes and Cresswell was booked on the hour mark for kicking the ball away.
Coventry pulled a goal back in the 72nd minute to make it 3-1 to Preston when a corner by Jorgensen on the left was flicked on by Adebola and McSheffrey scored with a left-foot shot from two yards out.