Sheffield United continued their unbeaten start to the League One season with a narrow victory at Preston.

Tony McMahon's long ball picked out Dave Kitson, who lifted a neat finish over home keeper Thorsten Stuckmann to give the Blades the lead.

The hosts pressed for an equaliser but Chris Beardsley's first-time effort was off target.

Blades keeper George Long denied Paul Huntington from close range as the visitors held out for victory.

Danny Wilson's men remain one point behind Stevenage in the second automatic promotion place.

Preston, who are now winless in their last three league games, are in 10th, four points outside the play-off places.

VIEWS FROM THE DRESSING ROOM

Sheffield United manager Danny Wilson told BBC Radio Sheffield:

"That was a great, solid performance. George (Long's) save at the end was really all he had to do all game.

"To come here and get a result was a tremendous performance but it could have been three, four or five.

"We're just thankful for the one goal that separated us, because I think we deserved it.

"If you want to be challenging at the end of the season, you have to get results like this throughout it."

Lineup, Bookings (2) & Substitutions (6)

Preston North End

  • 01 Stuckmann
  • 03 Laird
  • 05 Robertson Booked
  • 26 Wright (Huntington - 58' )
  • 02 Keane
  • 08 Wroe (Sodje - 72' )
  • 17 Monakana
  • 19 Welsh
  • 20 Beardsley (Amoo - 64' )
  • 22 King
  • 29 Beavon

Substitutes

  • 23 Simonsen
  • 04 Huntington
  • 13 Byrom
  • 18 Procter
  • 07 Amoo
  • 09 Cummins
  • 12 Sodje

Sheffield United

  • 25 Long
  • 05 Maguire
  • 06 Hill Booked
  • 29 McMahon
  • 30 Williams
  • 07 Flynn
  • 08 Doyle
  • 11 McDonald
  • 16 McAllister (Collins - 77' )
  • 10 Blackman (Miller - 84' )
  • 14 Kitson (Porter - 46' )

Substitutes

  • 34 Willis
  • 02 Westlake
  • 09 Porter
  • 15 Collins
  • 12 Miller
  • 17 Cresswell
  • 19 Cofie
Ref: Sarginson
Att: 11,536

Match Stats

Shots

10 5

On target

2 3

Corners

5 4

Fouls

13 9

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +4:30 Full time

Full Time The referee blows his whistle to end the game.

90:00 +2:47

Paul Huntington takes a shot. Save made by George Long.

90:00 +2:47 Booking

Booking Matthew Hill booked.

90:00 +2:36

Matthew Hill concedes a free kick for a foul on Jeffrey Monakana.

90:00 +1:00

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on David Amoo by Tony McMahon. Free kick crossed left-footed by Scott Laird.

89:22

Headed effort from inside the area by Akpo Sodje misses to the left of the target.

88:28

Shot by Marcus Williams from deep inside the penalty area misses to the left of the target.

87:49

Scott Laird takes a outswinging corner from the left by-line played to the near post, Kevin McDonald makes a clearance.

85:03

Chris Robertson challenges Shaun Miller unfairly and gives away a free kick. Indirect free kick taken by Harry Maguire.

84:59 Booking

Booking Chris Robertson is shown a yellow card.

83:20 Substitution

Substitution Shaun Miller comes on in place of Nick Blackman.

75:13

Nick Blackman takes a shot. Save by Thorsten Stuckmann. Corner taken by Ryan Flynn from the right by-line.

75:13 Substitution

Substitution David McAllister leaves the field to be replaced by Neill Collins.

75:13

Nick Blackman takes a shot. Chris Robertson gets a block in. Outswinging corner taken by Ryan Flynn.

74:34

Free kick awarded for a foul by Kevin McDonald on Jeffrey Monakana. Free kick taken by Scott Laird.

72:02

Nick Blackman gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Chris Robertson. John Welsh restarts play with the free kick.

70:41 Substitution

Substitution Nicky Wroe leaves the field to be replaced by Akpo Sodje.

70:41

Jeffrey Monakana has an effort at goal from outside the penalty box missing to the wide right of the target.

67:13

The ball is sent over by Jeffrey Monakana, Harry Maguire manages to make a clearance. Foul by David Amoo on Tony McMahon, free kick awarded. George Long restarts play with the free kick.

65:06

Long range effort from Jack King misses to the left of the goal. Free kick awarded for a foul by Chris Robertson on Chris Porter. Tony McMahon restarts play with the free kick.

63:13 Substitution

Substitution (Preston) makes a substitution, with David Amoo coming on for Chris Beardsley.

63:13

Stuart Beavon takes a shot. Save by George Long. Michael Doyle challenges Jeffrey Monakana unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Nicky Wroe.

61:01

Chris Beardsley has an effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the right of the goal.

57:36

Clearance made by Matthew Hill. Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Scott Laird, outswinging corner taken by Ryan Flynn from the right by-line, Chris Robertson makes a clearance.

57:36 Substitution

Substitution Paul Huntington replaces Bailey Wright.

57:36

Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Scott Laird,

55:46

Chris Robertson gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Nick Blackman. Free kick taken by Matthew Hill.

51:46

Matthew Hill concedes a free kick for a foul on Chris Beardsley. Nicky Wroe takes the free kick. Effort from the edge of the area by Nick Blackman goes wide of the right-hand post.

50:12

Corner taken by Nicky Wroe from the right by-line, Unfair challenge on George Long by Stuart Beavon results in a free kick. George Long takes the free kick.

47:34

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Ryan Flynn by Jack King. Indirect free kick taken by Marcus Williams.

46:27

Unfair challenge on John Welsh by Matthew Hill results in a free kick. John Welsh takes the indirect free kick.

45:48

Stuart Beavon challenges Kevin McDonald unfairly and gives away a free kick. Matthew Hill restarts play with the free kick.

45:01

The match restarts for the second half.

45:01 Substitution

Substitution Dave Kitson goes off and Chris Porter comes on.

45:00 +4:50 Half time

Half Time The ref blows to signal half-time.

42:02

Assist by Tony McMahon.

42:02 Goal scored

Goal - Dave Kitson - Preston 0 - 1 Sheff Utd Dave Kitson fires in a goal from inside the box to the bottom left corner of the goal. Preston 0-1 Sheff Utd.

41:16

The ball is crossed by Chris Beardsley, George Long makes a save.

39:37

Effort from outside the penalty box by John Welsh goes wide left of the goal.

38:39

Dave Kitson gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Chris Robertson. Nicky Wroe takes the free kick.

37:05

Free kick awarded for a foul by Stuart Beavon on Matthew Hill. Indirect free kick taken by Harry Maguire.

35:33

David McAllister produces a cross, Bailey Wright makes a clearance.

33:47

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Matthew Hill by Jeffrey Monakana. The free kick is swung in right-footed by Tony McMahon, clearance made by Bailey Wright.

33:10

Free kick awarded for a foul by Chris Beardsley on Kevin McDonald. George Long takes the indirect free kick.

28:35

Marcus Williams is penalised for a handball. A cross is delivered by Nicky Wroe, Headed effort from inside the area by Bailey Wright misses to the left of the goal.

23:47

Ryan Flynn takes a outswinging corner from the right by-line played to the near post, Chris Robertson makes a clearance.

21:48

Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Nicky Wroe from the right by-line, Chris Beardsley produces a header from close range which goes wide of the left-hand upright.

16:55

The referee penalises Ryan Flynn for handball. Free kick taken by Keith Keane.

14:22

Free kick awarded for a foul by Chris Beardsley on Matthew Hill. George Long takes the indirect free kick.

11:26

The assistant referee signals for offside against Jack King. Indirect free kick taken by George Long.

10:16

Scott Laird challenges Nick Blackman unfairly and gives away a free kick. Tony McMahon restarts play with the free kick.

6:33

Unfair challenge on David McAllister by Keith Keane results in a free kick. Ryan Flynn takes the free kick. The offside flag is raised against Harry Maguire. Thorsten Stuckmann takes the indirect free kick.

4:35

Dave Kitson is ruled offside. Bailey Wright restarts play with the free kick.

2:53

John Welsh has an effort at goal from outside the penalty box which goes wide right of the target.

1:51

The official flags Nick Blackman offside. Bailey Wright takes the free kick.

0:07

Jack King fouled by Dave Kitson, the ref awards a free kick. Keith Keane takes the free kick.

0:00

The referee gets the game underway.

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