Republic of Ireland midfielder Alan Browne was the match winner for Preston as they got their season off to an ideal start with a 1-0 win at home to Queen's Park Rangers.
50' GOAL PNE! @Alan__Browne opens the scoring for the 2018/19 campaign! #COYW#pnefc 1-0 pic.twitter.com/uHuoToN5QU
— Preston North End FC (@pnefc) August 4, 2018
Browne’s 50th minute header proved to be the difference between the two sides in Steve McClaren’s first game in charge of QPR.
In a game lacking many clear-cut chances, Browne was on hand to convert Josh Harrop’s free kick with a looping header.
Preston will be looking to go one better than last season when they narrowly missed out on a play-off finish, and a winning start gets their promotion push up and running.
Ryan Manning and Daryl Horgan featured as second half substitutes for QPR and Preston respectively.
However, summer signing Graham Burke had to make do with a place on the bench following his move from Shamrock Rovers.
Daryl Murphy scored his first goal since November to help Nottingham Forest to a 1-1 draw with Bristol City at Ashton Gate.
Andreas Weimann had given Bristol the lead after just five minutes with a header that went in via the underside of the crossbar.
But Murphy cancelled out Weimann’s effort with a header of his own inside the first minute of the second half; rising highest to nod home Adlene Guedioura’s cross.
Forest had the better of proceedings thereafter and almost snatched a winner when Joe Lolley’s low drive was tipped away by debutant Niki Maenpaa.
Callum O’Dowda started on the wing for the Robins and almost gave his side the lead inside five minutes when his close range shot was well saved by Costil Pantilimon.
Aiden O’Brien also got his name on the scoresheet for Millwall, but saw his side dramatically surrender a two-goal lead at home to Middlesbrough.
O’Brien gave Millwall the lead after 12 minutes when he slammed home Lee Gregory’s cross past compatriot Darren Randolph, and Gregory himself doubled the lead before the break.
However, a close range finish from Martin Braithewaite with just three minutes of normal time remaining gave Boro hope before George Friend popped up in the seventh minute of injury time to snatch the unlikeliest of draws.
Elsewhere, Darragh Lenihan and Derrick Williams both played 90 minutes in Blackburn Rover’s 2-2 draw at Ipswich, with the latter providing an assist for Bradley Dack’s 27th minute goal.
Alan Judge also featured as a second half substitute in Brentford’s 5-1 thrashing of Rotherham.
