However, it was a disappointing home performance as they only came into life for the last half hour of the match and have still not won at home in eight games this season and have only scored three goals in the league at Deepdale.
QPR had the first chance after 18 minutes when a 15-yard left-foot shot by Lee Cook inside the left penalty area was comfortably saved by Nash.
In the 25th minute Paul Furlong had a ten-yard right-foot shot from the right channel which went straight at Nash.
The disappointing Danny Dichio hit a 25-yard right-foot shot from inside the left channel which went well wide of the left-hand post after half an hour and a little later Lewis Neal had a 25-yard left-foot shot saved by the QPR keeper Simon Royce.
Just before half-time David Jones hit an inch-perfect cross from the left, but Dichio failed to connect and tap the ball home from close range.
A Callum Davidson cross from the left was headed wide by Dichio in the 51st minute and Chris Lucketti, the Preston captain, should have done better when he headed wide of the left-hand post from close range from a Paul McKenna left-wing corner.
Steve Lomas went off injured and was replaced by Tom Doherty and Furlong ran clear before shooting wide from eight yards missing the right-hand post by an inch.
Danny Shittu scored what looked like the winner after 62 minutes when a Kevin Gallen corner from the left was met by Shittu at the far post who headed home from four yards.
Gallen had a shot saved by Nash from a right-wing corner and Gareth Ainsworth was booked for handball trying a diving header.
Preston got the equaliser in added time when Mawene headed home following a right-wing corner and a scramble in the penalty area.