Wednesday went down to a comprehensive 3-0 defeat at Preston this afternoon.

We battled well at Deepdale in the first half, trailing by one goal at the interval, but the pressure of a third game in seven days with a largely unchanged squad showed in the second period and Preston took advantage of the expected tiredness in our ranks to add two further goals in the last half hour.

Former Wednesday loanee Jordan Storey missed a great chance for the home side on 15 minutes when he was left in space from a corner but headed over the bar.

However, we began to come more into the game and went close to taking the lead nine minutes later when Bailey Cadamarteri’s near post header from Harry Amass’ corner brought an outstanding reflex save out of Daniel Iversen.

Sadly, that was to prove to be our only shot on target and Preston went ahead shortly before the half-hour mark when Ali McCann stole in between Liam Cooper and Amass on the edge of the box and tucked the ball past Pierce Charles.

Only the excellence of Charles prevented a second Preston goal soon afterwards, the keeper producing a fine diving save to keep out another McCann effort and then denying Alfie Devine from the rebound.

Wednesday found it difficult to mount any concerted periods of pressure after the break and the points looked to be Preston’s as early as 61 minutes when Milutin Osmajic turned inside the box and lashed high into the roof of the net to make it 2-o.

And five minutes from time it was 3-0 with Lewis Dobbin firing past Charles from 12 yards to round off a comfortable win for the play-off hopefuls.

Wednesday did go close to a consolation goal on 89 minutes when a fine run and cross by Amass was diverted just over his own bar by defender Liam Lindsay and we stay on minus seven points at the foot of the Championship.

Charles, Palmer (Onukwuli 83), Iorfa, Cooper (Fusire 40), Otegbayo, Amass, Thornton (Redmond 66), Ingelsson, Bannan, McNeill (J Lowe 66), Cadamarteri. Unused subs: Horvath, Emery, McGhee, Johnson, Shipston, J Lowe.