Preston created the first chance in the 14th minute when right winger Chris Sedgwick cut inside from the right channel to hit a 20-yard left-foot shot straight at Brighton keeper Wayne Henderson.
It was Sedgwick again in the 19th minute who ran through the middle of the Brighton defence before cutting inside to hit a 15-yard left-foot shot which was saved.
Brighton striker Jake Robinson then fired in a volley which forced a good save from Preston keeper Carlo Nash diving to his left.
In the 26th minute David Nugent, who has been called into the England Under-21 squad, had a 25-yard right-foot shot from the left wing saved by the Brighton keeper and Nash then dived bravely to save at Robinson's feet.
Just before the interval Nugent's right-wing cross was met by Daniele Dichio at the far post but his eight-yard header was saved.
On the hour mark Sebastien Carole hit a 20-yard right foot shot which was parried round the left-hand post for a corner by Nash.
Nugent had a goal ruled out for offside after he had rounded the keeper and turned the ball home in the 68th minute.
35-year-old Guy Butters had a header cleared off the line by Graham Alexander from Leon Knight's right-wing corner.
Carole saw a 25-yard shot fly narrowly wide of the left-hand post in the closing stages but the best chance of the match came in the last minute when Youl Mawene's close-range header went just over the bar.
In the final seconds, Nugent only had the keeper to beat but fired wide of the left-hand corner.