text: Ultimately, Bristol City were never destined to become the first Football League club to win promotion this season at Deepdale, even though they are inching ever closer. Swindon’s win over Peterborough meant Steve Cotterill will have to wait until Tuesday to finish the job of returning to the Championship, but almost as importantly they made sure Preston wouldn’t make any ground on them in the top two. Three points at Bradford on Tuesday will do the trick - only that standing in their way now. It would take something to go seriously awry for the Robins not to be returning to the second tier after a two-year absence, and they did their job well enough to prevent any late scares in the north west. Bristol City striker Aaron Wilbraham celebrates his 63rd minute goal against Preston at Deepdale . Preston (3-5-2): Johnstone; Clarke, King, Wright; Humphrey (Wiseman 84), Welsh, Johnson, Gallagher, Laird; Beckford (Davies 90), Garner (Robinson 84) Subs not used: Stuckmann, Kilkenny, Woods, Little . Bristol City (3-5-2): Fielding, Ayling, Flint, Williams; Tavernier, K.Smith, Pack, Freeman (Elliott 90), Bryan; Agard (Emmanuel-Thomas 82), Wilbraham . Subs not used: Richards, Cunningham, Osborne, Saville, Wagstaff . A six-minute rendition of ‘F*** off Swindon Town, you are staying down’ rang out of the gleeful away end at Deepdale - populated by 2,400 - as that return got ever closer. City had dispensed of their rivals on Tuesday night, hammering them 3-0, and took great delight in revelling in their triumph. It was an afternoon whereby neither side played with any nerves - there are reasons why these two occupy the automatic promotion places - although lacking a fluidity you would perhaps expect. There was an illusion of this being an open game, but the two five-man midfields shattered that. Jermaine Beckford came closest for the hosts, his smart overhead kick just flying wide, while the out of sorts Daniel Johnson blasted way over. Joe Garner felt he should’ve been awarded a penalty after being clattered by Frank Fielding. Steve Cotterill, knowing results elsewhere dictated they could still clinch elevation by five o’clock, clearly put a rocket up his free scorers at the break. Before then they had threatened from free-kicks, managed to get into decent positions, but didn’t threaten nearly enough. Wilbraham got on the end of James Tavernier’s wicked cross from the right, but his shot was superbly tipped onto the bar by Sam Johnstone. Kieran Agard failed to stretch far enough to convert from two yards shortly afterwards. Preston were on the ropes, their biggest crowd in two years growing restless immediately after half-time. That was until Jermaine Beckford popped up, five yards out, to send Deepdale delirious just before the hour mark. Paul Gallagher picked up on lapse defending to take control of the situation inside the away box, firing across goal for Beckford to sweep beyond Fielding. At that stage, it took Simon Grayson’s side seven points ahead of MK Dons - drawing at Port Vale - in third. But they only managed to hold the lead for four minutes, Aden Flint intelligently flicking a header towards the middle of the six-yard box for Wilbraham to power home in front of the travelling band from the West Country, his 20th of the season. Grayson will be frustrated at the way in which his side switched off from a routine set piece. This could’ve been a day they made the title race very interesting indeed. As it was, Agard forced Johnstone into another decent save, diving down to his right to tip wide on the angle, as Cotterill’s side searched for a winner. That did not come, despite substitute Jay Emmanuel-Thomas’ best efforts. The ice is stored away, but not for long.
target: Second-placed Preston hosted League One leaders Bristol City .
  Jermaine Beckford fired the home side into the lead in the 59th minute .
  Aaron Wilbraham equalised for Bristol City four minutes later .