Hull City's brief dalliance with victory was ended after one game, with the Tigers beaten 1-0 at Preston North End on Boxing Day in a game low on quality in the final third.

City should have gone in front after five minutes, but Regan Slater blazed over the bar from close range after a Joao Pedro shot was saved. And they were punished on the hour when the Lillywhites opened the scoring through Brad Potts' clinical finish. It was a game there for the taking and one they failed to take anything from because of their own failings.

The Tigers probably deserved something from the contest. However, their ongoing troubles in front of goal were evident again as a host of bright moments in the final third came to nothing, and now, they return to the bottom three, two points adrift of safety having been a point clear after that morale-boosting success before Christmas.

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If the win over Swansea offered plenty of confidence, this was a result which showed there remains an awful lot of work for Ruben Selles to do to drag City away from trouble with one final game to come before 2024 comes to an end. In truth, it can't come soon enough.

Selles made two changes from the winning side against Swansea City on Saturday, with match-winner Mason Burstow coming in for just a third start of the season and first since the defeat to West Brom on November 10, at the expense of Abu Kamara, while there was no Charlie Hughes, with his place going to Sean McLoughlin.

City, backed by a noisy away following having won the toss and turned the hosts around, were dominant in the early stages and should have scored after five minutes when Pedro's shot was pushed out by goalkeeper Freddie Woodman straight into the path of Regan Slater who skied over from eight yards out, though it did come at him quickly off the North End stopper.

It took almost 15 minutes for the hosts to threaten after an impressive start from the Tigers, North End cutting in down the right with Milutin Osmajic angling a near-post effort well wide.

City continued to look the better, more composed side without really punishing Preston in the final third. There were plenty of moments in and around the box they failed to take advantage of.

Slater became the first name in the book five minutes before the break when City lost possession high up the pitch, and with the hosts threatening to counter, the midfielder gave away what you'd call a tactical foul in the middle of the pitch. Whiteman volleyed wide on the stroke of half-time, with North End finishing the half brightly.

In truth, it was a first half of few chances at either end, though City were probably the better of the two sides, but their lack of clinical edge in the final third was telling, and equally frustrated.

Selles made a change at the break, with Giles replaced by Matty Jacob on the left side of the back four.

Preston fashioned the opening chance of the second period five minutes into it when a fine searing pass bypassed McLoughlin and Osmajic raced onto it inside right channel, but slammed over the bar from a tight angle.

Selles made a second change ten minutes into the second half with Longman, who just could not get into the game, coming off with Abu Kamara on in his place, roared on by the away supporters who sang his name, hoping to inspire a magical moment.

The magical moment, however, came on the hour at the other end when Brad Potts turn in a left-wing Kesler-Hayden cross after the Tigers were sliced open, the only moment of real quality in the final third in the game.

City responded and were almost level immediately when Coyle's teasing cross just evaded the sliding Puerta at the back post. Puerta, who impressed again, was denied by an unconvincing Woodman save low down to his left before Selles made two more changes with just over 20 minutes to go; Slater and Pedro were replaced by Abdus Omur and Chris Bedia.

Paul Heckingbottom made a triple change with 13 left, Emil Riis, ex-Tiger Will Keane and Duane Holmes all coming on Osmajic, Frokjaer and Greenwood, closely followed by Cody Drameh's introduction at the expense of Coyle.

Drameh was straight into the action, his brilliant cross was heading towards the far corner, but Woodman reacted quickly to claw away. McLoughlin headed straight at Woodman in stoppage time from Puerta's free-kick, and there was to be now late salvage act.

Defeat on the road again, and now the visit to Blackburn Rovers on Sunday ramps up in importance to get a result, now they're back in the drop zone and two points away from safety.

Preston: Woodman; Storey, Whatmough, Hughes, Potts, Whiteman (c), McCann, Kesler-Hayden, Frokjaer, Greenwood, Osmajic. Subs: Cornell, Bauer, Ledson, Thordarson, Holmes, Okkels, Bowler, Riis, Keane

City: Pandur, Giles, McLoughlin, Jones, Coyle (c), Alzate, Slater, Puerta, Burstow, Longman, Pedro. Subs: Racioppi, Omur, Bedia, Drameh, Mehlem, Jacob, Kamara, Burns, Sellars-Fleming.

Referee: Josh Smith

Attendance: 16,521 (around 1,100 from Hull City)