Alan Irvine's side were booed from the field after struggling Swansea carried out a smash-and-grab raid with a stunning first-half goal and a penalty 10 minutes from time.

Preston had the bulk of the chances, but could do nothing with them as they slipped out of the Championship top six despite having had their best start for two decades.

Ferrie Bodde opened the scoring in the 19th minute completely against the run of play with a cracking shot from all of 40 yards - the second time in four days that keeper Andrew Lonergan had been beaten from long range.

The Welshmen wrapped things up in the 80th minute when debutant Jay McEveley was judged to have brought down Jordi Gomez and the Spaniard got to his feet to score from the penalty spot.

Only 10,558 fans turned out for the game after the defeats by Wolves and Burnley. And many had left the stadium long before the final whistle as North End got more and more ragged as they struggled to turn chances into goals.

Neil Mellor hit a post early on and Sean St Ledger saw a header blocked on the line. But Swansea managed only five goal attempts all night - and scored from two of them!

Preston were unlucky not to be in front in the opening minutes. But the scoreline remained blank thanks to unsympathetic referee Carl Boyeson, a goal-line clearance and the woodwork in a frantic three-minute spell.

First, North End were denied a penalty in the third minute after Mellor claimed defender Ashley Williams handled as the pair challenged for a cross in the box.

Then, after Darren Carter's free-kick had been deflected in the wall for a corner, St Ledger's header from the flag kick was blocked on the line by Marcos Painter.

Mellor, following up the rebound, then saw his shot come back off the right-hand post before the Welshmen cleared the danger.

Acrobatic save

Mellor got through on the right of goal in the 14th minute but the ball refused to sit down, allowing Williams the time to slide in and block the shot for a corner.

It had been all North End in the opening stages but, completely out of the blue, Swansea produced a stunning goal to snatch the lead entirely against the run of play.

There seemed nothing on as Bodde picked the ball up in midfield, a full 40 yards from the Preston goal. But he let fly with a thunderbolt which Lonergan got his fingertips to but could not keep out of the top left corner to add to the 30-yard cracker from Joey Gudjonsson at Burnley on Saturday which dipped over him.

Eight minutes later the keeper redeemed himself with an acrobatic save to turn over a Gomez free-kick whipped in from the right of the box.

Preston continued to press forward in the second half, but still they could not find that incisive pass or telling shot.

Mellor was inches wide with an effort from outside the box, Brown flicked a header over the top, then nodded straight at the keeper. Youl Mawene was wide from a corner.

Ross Wallace came on and had two half-chances, but both found keeper Dorus De Vries.

Problem spot

With 10 minutes to go disaster struck for Preston and for debutant McEveley. The full-back challenged Gomez in the area, the Spaniard went down and referee Boyeson pointed to the spot. Gomez got to his feet, grabbed the ball and scored, Lonergan again getting a hand to the shot but not able to keep it out.

Loan signing McEveley was thrown straight into the starting line-up and striker Brown was brought in for his first start of the season after playing the second half of Saturday's disappointing 3-1 defeat at Burnley.

McEveley, in for a month from Derby County, filled the problem left-back spot after North End lost both Michael Hart (ankle injury) and Callum Davidson (suspended) following the trip to Turf Moor.

Brown was preferred as Mellor's partner up front, with Jon Parkin stepping down to the substitutes' bench which also included fellow frontman Stephen Elliott and speedy winger Wallace.

Swansea boss Roberto Martinez also made two changes to his side after a 4-0 thrashing at Reading at the weekend. Out went Jason Scotland and Frederico Bessone and in came Marcos Painter and Mark Gower.

Preston North End: Lonergan, Jones, Mawene, St Ledger, McEveley, Nicholson, McKenna, Carter, Sedgwick, Mellor, Brown.

Substitutes: C Neal, Jarrett, Wallace, Parkin, Elliott.

Swansea City: De Vries, Rangel, Williams, Monk, Painter, Gomez, Bodde, Britton, Pintado, Gower, Butler.

Substitutes: Tate, Brandy, Tudor-Jones, Bessone, Bauza.

Referee: Carl Boyeson (East Yorkshire).