PRESTON NORTH END 1 Maguire (76) FULHAM 2 Mitrovic (69, 90)

Aleksandar Mitrovic struck an all-important winner deep into stoppage time for Fulham to clinch victory over fellow promotion-chasers Preston at Deepdale.

The Serbian notched his second of the game to make it four successive wins for the Cottagers, who move to third in the Championship table.

The Lilywhites started the game brightly with two openings in the first five minutes. A mistake from Denis Odoi allowed Sean Maguire to break in behind, but the forward misplaced his cross before Callum Robinson hit the target from the edge of the area after four minutes but couldn’t beat Marcus Bettinelli.

Bettinelli was forced into more serious action after 13 minutes as Preston full-back Darnell Fisher unleashed a powerful drive from 18 yards that was safely tipped around the post by the Fulham keeper.

In an even first half, Fulham were showing more quality going forward and were almost ahead after 32 minutes when Ryan Fredericks flashed a ball across the six-yard box that just evaded the sliding Ryan Sessegnon at the far post.

Preston had keeper Rudd to thank for keeping the scores level just after the break as he leapt to his left to tip Floyd Ayite’s strike over the bar.

It was Fulham who broke the deadlock after 69 minutes. Cyrus Christie was brought on at full back and two minutes later he crossed from the right for Mitrovic, who fired home right-footed from 12 yards.

Ben Davies came close to an equaliser after 75 minutes, but his effort from eight yards was superbly pushed away by Bettinelli low to his right.

But the Fulham keeper wasn’t so impressive a minute later. Ben Pearson picked out Maguire six yards out and his header was fumbled into the back of his net by Bettinelli.

It was Fulham who took home all three points though, as Tom Cairney’s delightful lofted cross to the back post was nodded in by Mitrovic.