HUGILL PLAYS CARDS RIGHT AT THE DEATH

STRIKER Jordan Hugill grabbed Preston’s last-gasp winner – then spared a thought for the two QPR players who were sent off.

Jamie Mackie was dismissed on 22 minutes, the first red card of his 14-year career, and former North End loanee Alex Baptiste given a second yellow, for dissent, after the game.

But Hugill (above), who struck on 88 minutes, sympathised, admitting: “Sometimes frustration boils over. I know, because I’ve been there. It takes you over for a minute – that’s the way it is.”

Rangers boss Ian Holloway fumed: “Two sendings off in a game where I didn’t see a bad tackle. We’ve quite a bit to be aggrieved about regarding the man with the whistle, and how he’s seeing things. We will appeal Mackie’s red, for certain.”

He added: “Baptiste made a comment to his old team-mate Ben Pearson after the final whistle, but the ref told me Alex made his comments to him.”

Preston made heavy weather of their victory, Hugill’s eighth strike of the season coming against a team playing with 10 men for 68 minutes and who had not won away in 17 games.

Hugill admitted Mackie’s sending off, for a challenge on Tom Clarke, “changed the game”. He added: “It’s harder against 10 men because they shut up shop and try to hit you on the counter. I kept telling myself I’d get my chance and must take it.”

And he did, collecting Paul Gallagher’s through ball to beat keeper Alex Smithies.