Alfie Devine scored twice as Preston ended a seven-game winless streak with a 3-1 Championship victory over Stoke at Deepdale.

The 21-year-old Tottenham loanee cancelled out a fourth-minute volley from Sorba Thomas with a composed finish in the 15th minute and completed his brace with a delightful dink for Preston's third on the hour mark, just minutes after Milutin Osmajic had headed them in front with his eighth goal of a turbulent season.

Stoke fans were lively from the off - filling three-quarters of the away end - and they were ecstatic when Thomas acrobatically slammed Junior Tchamadeu's cross into the floor and past Daniel Iversen for an early opener.

It was a nightmare start for the out-of-form hosts, however, they bounced back with aplomb 10 minutes later when Stoke over-committed bodies forward.

The visitors left every outfield player in Preston's half as Devine ran onto Andrew Moran's ball from inside his own half before squeezing a shot under the glove of Tommy Simkin to level proceedings.

North End needed that and could have taken the lead in the 23rd minute as Liam Lindsay headed over Devine's corner from an appetising central position.

Visiting supporters were up in arms after 34...