Nottingham Forest eased to victory over Preston to move level on points with second placed West Bromwich Albion.
Former Preston hero Paul McKenna kick-started a comfortable win, rifling a shot into the corner from 20 yards.
It was 2-0 minutes just minutes later when Dele Adebola turned in Nicky Shorey's cross after a short corner.
Forest keeper Lee Camp kept out Billy Jones's shot to maintain the two-goal lead and Lewis McGugan put the perfect seal on the win with a neat finish.
Nottingham Forest manager Billy Davies: "We are far from the finished article.
"We have a lot of hard work ahead of us, a lot of tough games and times to come but I am delighted with the way we are developing.
"There is a fantastic mentality in the dressing room - a great mix of youth and experience - but nobody is getting carried away.
"Promotion has not been spoken of because everyone knows that we are work in progress and I stand by what I said that the aim for us is to have a strong mid-table finish."
Preston manager Alan Irvine: "We knew we would have to be at our best for the game, but what disappointed me was losing two goals from set pieces.
"We don't normally do that but until they got their third I thought we still had a chance of getting something.
"We had our chances and the game opened up but we got caught."
90:00+3:04 The final whistle goes and the game is over.
90:00+2:19 Lewis McGugan produces a right-footed shot from outside the penalty box and misses wide left of the target.
90:00+2:09 Chris Cohen has an effort at goal from 18 yards. Blocked by Liam Chilvers.
90:00+0:58 Jon Parkin has an effort at goal. Blocked by Wes Morgan. Outswinging corner taken left-footed by Ross Wallace from the left
by-line, Richard Chaplow produces a drilled right-footed shot from 25 yards. Chris Cohen gets a block in.
90:00+0:20 Chris Cohen takes the chance to get an effort at goal. Save by Andy Lonergan.
86:27 Effort from the edge of the area by Ross Wallace goes wide of the right-hand upright.
86:15 Dele Adebola takes a shot. Save made by Andy Lonergan.
86:08 The ball is crossed by Nathan Tyson, clearance by Neill Collins.
85:36 Free kick awarded for a foul by Ross Wallace on Chris Gunter. Lee Camp takes the direct free kick.
84:12 Chris Sedgwick crosses the ball, Kelvin Wilson manages to make a clearance.
83:28 The ball is delivered by Nathan Tyson.
82:27 Substitution (Preston) makes a substitution, with Eddie Nolan coming on for Callum Davidson.
82:01 Substitution Paul Anderson leaves the field to be replaced by Nathan Tyson.
80:59 The assist for the goal came from Nicky Shorey.
80:59 GOAL - Lewis McGugan:Nott'm Forest 3 - 0 Preston Goal scored by Lewis McGugan from inside the box low into the middle of the goal. Nottm Forest 3-0 Preston.
79:44 Garath McCleary takes a shot. Save by Andy Lonergan.
78:22 Garath McCleary is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Indirect free kick taken by Andy Lonergan.
77:02 Substitution Lewis McGugan on for Robert Earnshaw.
76:23 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Ross Wallace, Close range headed effort by Neill Collins goes wide of the
left-hand upright.
76:03 Robert Earnshaw takes a shot. Andy Lonergan makes a save.
70:56 Ross Wallace has an effort at goal from outside the penalty box missing to the wide right of the goal.
70:24 Short corner taken by Chris Sedgwick from the right by-line, Centre by Ross Wallace, Chris Gunter makes a clearance.
68:18 Substitution Garath McCleary on for Radoslaw Majewski.
66:36 Jon Parkin concedes a free kick for a foul on Nicky Shorey. Lee Camp takes the free kick.
65:58 Free kick awarded for a foul by Jon Parkin on Paul McKenna. Kelvin Wilson takes the free kick.
65:22 Paul McKenna produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that goes wide left of the goal.
64:55 Inswinging corner taken by Radoslaw Majewski from the left by-line, Liam Chilvers makes a clearance.
64:27 The assistant referee flags for offside against Dele Adebola. Liam Chilvers takes the indirect free kick.
63:41 Shot by Neil Mellor from deep inside the six-yard box clear the bar.
61:27 Neil Mellor crosses the ball, Nicky Shorey gets a block in.
60:49 Kelvin Wilson concedes a free kick for a foul on Neil Mellor. Free kick taken by Billy Jones.
59:14 Substitution Chris Brown leaves the field to be replaced by Jon Parkin.
59:14 Substitution Neil Mellor on for Paul Parry.
58:51 The official flags Robert Earnshaw offside. Indirect free kick taken by Andy Lonergan.
55:54 Shot from outside the area by Chris Cohen misses to the left of the target.
55:45 Paul Anderson delivers the ball, clearance made by Richard Chaplow.
55:31 Effort on goal by Richard Chaplow from 30 yards. Blocked by Kelvin Wilson.
55:03 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Ross Wallace.
54:08 Booking Ross Wallace receives a caution for unsporting behaviour.
54:01 Centre by Paul Anderson.
52:41 Dele Adebola challenges Billy Jones unfairly and gives away a free kick. Andy Lonergan takes the direct free kick.
51:32 Centre by Chris Gunter, clearance by Billy Jones.
50:13 The ball is swung over by Callum Davidson.
48:02 Ross Wallace crosses the ball, clearance made by Paul McKenna.
47:03 Dele Adebola is penalised for a handball. Andy Lonergan takes the indirect free kick.
45:27 The ball is swung over by Nicky Shorey, clearance made by Neill Collins.
45:01 The referee blows his whistle to start the second half.
Half Time
45:00+1:05 The first half comes to an end.
45:00+0:41 The official flags Paul Parry offside. Kelvin Wilson takes the indirect free kick.
41:28 Corner from right by-line taken by Ross Wallace.
39:55 Billy Jones takes a shot. Lee Camp makes a save. Corner taken by Ross Wallace from the right by-line, Foul by Neill Collins
on Dele Adebola, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Lee Camp.
39:09 Chris Cohen concedes a free kick for a foul on Ross Wallace. Ross Wallace crosses the ball in from the free kick, clearance
by Kelvin Wilson.
38:36 Shot from 12 yards by Paul Anderson. Save made by Andy Lonergan.
38:19 Ross Wallace crosses the ball, clearance by Nicky Shorey.
37:00 Radoslaw Majewski has an effort at goal from outside the box which goes wide right of the goal.
35:50 Radoslaw Majewski has an effort at goal. Andy Lonergan makes a comfortable save.
35:26 A cross is delivered by Chris Gunter, clearance by Neill Collins.
34:34 Paul Parry is caught offside. Lee Camp takes the indirect free kick.
33:31 The ball is crossed by Ross Wallace.
32:56 Ross Wallace decides to take a short corner.
31:28 Chris Sedgwick challenges Paul Anderson unfairly and gives away a free kick. Paul McKenna takes the free kick.
29:07 Effort from the edge of the area by Richard Chaplow goes wide of the right-hand upright.
27:11 Foul by Neill Collins on Robert Earnshaw, free kick awarded. Kelvin Wilson takes the free kick.
26:31 The referee blows for offside. Andy Lonergan takes the free kick.
24:53 The assist for the goal came from Nicky Shorey.
24:53 GOAL - Dele Adebola:Nott'm Forest 2 - 0 Preston Dele Adebola finds the net with a goal from inside the six-yard box low into the middle of the goal. Nottm Forest 2-0 Preston.
24:28 Short corner taken by Robert Earnshaw from the left by-line.
23:57 The ball is swung over by Ross Wallace, clearance made by Chris Cohen.
22:26 Shot by Robert Earnshaw. Billy Jones makes a comfortable save.
21:17 Robert Earnshaw is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Andy Lonergan restarts play with the free kick.
19:43 Nicky Shorey delivers the ball, Dele Adebola produces a header from inside the area that goes over the crossbar.
19:04 Robert Earnshaw fouled by Michael Tonge, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Chris Cohen.
18:26 Paul Anderson has a drilled shot. Save made by Andy Lonergan.
17:56 The ball is crossed by Paul Anderson, Neill Collins makes a clearance.
16:22 Chris Cohen has an effort at goal from 25 yards. Liam Chilvers gets a block in.
15:17 GOAL - Paul McKenna:Nott'm Forest 1 - 0 Preston Paul McKenna fires in a goal from long range to the bottom left corner of the goal. Nottm Forest 1-0 Preston.
14:49 Robert Earnshaw takes a shot. Neill Collins gets a block in. Corner taken left-footed by Chris Cohen, save by Andy Lonergan.
14:02 Unfair challenge on Chris Gunter by Callum Davidson results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Lee Camp.
12:01 Corner from the left by-line taken by Radoslaw Majewski, Close range header by Wes Morgan misses to the right of the goal.
10:20 Ross Wallace produces a left-footed shot from just outside the box that misses to the right of the net.
10:12 Effort on goal by Michael Tonge from 25 yards. Blocked by Kelvin Wilson.
9:13 The ball is delivered by Robert Earnshaw, Paul Anderson has an effort at goal from close in which goes wide left of the goal.
8:22 Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Radoslaw Majewski, Chris Brown manages to make a clearance.
8:17 Centre by Paul McKenna, clearance by Neill Collins.
7:56 Radoslaw Majewski takes the inswinging corner, clearance by Chris Sedgwick.
6:56 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Chris Sedgwick by Dele Adebola. Free kick taken by Liam Chilvers.
4:31 The referee blows for offside. Free kick taken by Kelvin Wilson.
2:07 Radoslaw Majewski takes a shot. Save by Andy Lonergan.
0:39 Foul by Kelvin Wilson on Chris Brown, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Michael Tonge.
0:00 The game gets underway.
Live text and data provided by The Press Association.
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