Cardiff striker Michael Chopra was fouled by Preston right-back Billy Jones after 19 minutes and the resulting left-wing right-foot free-kick by Ross McCormack was saved by Preston goalkeeper Andrew Lonergan.
Preston left-winger Ross Wallace was shoved in the back by Paul Quinn in an off-the-ball incident and, after consultation with his linesman, referee Andrew Hall of Birmingham gave Preston a penalty.
Preston striker Jon Parkin placed the penalty to Peter Enckelman's right sending the Cardiff goalkeeper the wrong way to open the scoring in the 30th minute.
Keith Treacy had an effort saved in the 39th minute and Preston then had a 'goal' ruled out for offside when Wallace crossed from the right to Keith Treacy who found Neil Mellor in the six-yard box and he side-footed home.
Lonergan made a one-handed save from Cardiff striker Jay Bothroyd in the 44th minute when he dribbled into the box from the left and hit a low shot across goal.
Twenty one-year-old Scottish central midfielder Paul Coutts, signed from Peterborough United last month, was booked for fouling Peter Whittingham from behind after 45 minutes.
Mark Kennedy replaced Gabor Gyepes at half time and Quinn fouled Treacy and was booked in the 48th minute.
Coutts fouled Chris Burke and was sent off for his second bookable offence four minutes later before Burke fouled Mellor and was shown a yellow card.
Preston made it 2-0 in the 54th minute when Wallace's left-wing free-kick was headed by Sean St Ledger to Parkin who controlled the ball, spun, turned his marker and shot under the keeper from just inside the penalty area low into the middle of the net.
Chris Sedgwick and Darren Carter replaced Treacy and Mellor in the 56th minute.
McCormack had a left-foot shot saved at the near post a minute later and Parkin's close-range shot hit the post after 58 minutes.
Chris Brown replaced man-of-the-match Parkin in the 82nd minute and scored four minutes later with a chip from outside the penalty area into the bottom left after a poor clearance from the Cardiff keeper.