Scott Hogan is Birmingham's leading scorer this season with seven goals
Scott Hogan's late equaliser rescued a point for Birmingham to end Preston boss Ryan Lowe's winning league start.
The hosts took a deserved lead when Alan Browne drilled a low shot which Patrick Bauer got a touch to on its way into the bottom corner.
Preston missed a host of chances to seal a third straight league win for Lowe, with Blues goalkeeper Neil Etheridge twice denying Ched Evans a second.
And Hogan met a Ryan Woods cross at the near post to head in an equaliser just a few moments after coming off the bench.
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It was just a third league game for Lowe since his appointment on 7 December after a string of Covid-related postponements, and his side were good value for their half-time lead.
Andrew Hughes nodded Ben Whiteman's cross just wide, while Emil Riis headed a Greg Cunningham cross straight at Etheridge and then saw another blocked before the breakthrough.
Blues had their best chances either side of the break as Gary Gardner volleyed over when found unmarked by Jeremie Bela's corner, before Jordan James' goalbound strike was deflected behind after he was teed up by Norwich loanee Onel Hernandez.
The Lilywhites threatened on the break as the visitors pushed for an equaliser and grabbed a point when Hogan struck with only City's fourth goal in their past 10 away trips.
Both sides went close in stoppage-time, Etheridge keeping out Bauer's header before Gardener steered a shot wide from six yards.
Preston drop to 15th, while Birmingham are without a win in six matches and remain 18th.
Birmingham manager Lee Bowyer told BBC Radio WM:
"I have to give the players full credit for keeping going and pushing to the end like that. We could have nicked it in the end.
"We dug deep and kept pushing and fighting. I'll keep fighting and pushing these players and they'll keep fighting for the club and that's what they've just done.
"I thought from the second half we looked the most likely to score. They hit us on the break a couple of times which was obviously going to happen because we we pushing for the equaliser.
"I'm really pleased because Scotty [Hogan] has had a tough week with some personal things going on away from the game so I'm glad he got the goal."
- Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text
Line-upsPreston
Formation 3-4-1-2
12Iversen2van den Berg5Bauer16Hughes44Potts8Browne4Whiteman3Cunningham11Johnson19Riis Jakobsen9Evans
- 12Iversen2van den Berg5Bauer16Hughes44PottsSubstituted forBarkhuizenat 71'minutes8Browne4WhitemanBooked at 72mins3Cunningham11Johnson19Riis JakobsenSubstituted forMaguireat 72'minutes9EvansSubstituted forSinclairat 87'minutes
Substitutes
- 6Lindsay13McCann15Rafferty24Maguire25Ripley29Barkhuizen31Sinclair
Birmingham
Formation 3-5-2
1Etheridge18Mengi4Roberts3Pedersen2Colin20Gardner19James34Sunjic11Bela25Hernández10Jutkiewicz
- 1Etheridge18MengiBooked at 56mins4Roberts3Pedersen2Colin20Gardner19James34SunjicSubstituted forWoodsat 82'minutes11BelaSubstituted forBellinghamat 83'minutes25HernándezSubstituted forHoganat 83'minutes10Jutkiewicz
Substitutes
- 6Woods9Hogan27Trueman39Bellingham41Walker45Masampu53Campbell
Referee:Andy DaviesAttendance:12,821Match StatsHome TeamPrestonAway TeamBirminghamPossessionHome55%Away45%ShotsHome15Away16Shots on TargetHome5Away3CornersHome7Away7FoulsHome10Away9Live TextPost update
Match ends, Preston North End 1, Birmingham City 1.
90'+3'Full Time
Second Half ends, Preston North End 1, Birmingham City 1.
90'+3'Post update
Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Andrew Hughes.
90'+3'Post update
Attempt blocked. Scott Hogan (Birmingham City) header from very close range is blocked. Assisted by Ryan Woods.
90'+2'Post update
Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Andrew Hughes.
90'+1'Post update
Attempt missed. Lukas Jutkiewicz (Birmingham City) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Ryan Woods with a cross following a set piece situation.
90'+1'Post update
Foul by Patrick Bauer (Preston North End).
90'+1'Post update
Scott Hogan (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
90'Post update
Attempt missed. Alan Browne (Preston North End) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Tom Barkhuizen with a cross.
88'Post update
Attempt saved. Patrick Bauer (Preston North End) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Benjamin Whiteman with a cross.
88'Post update
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Jordan James.
87'Substitution
Substitution, Preston North End. Scott Sinclair replaces Ched Evans.
86'goalGoal!
Goal! Preston North End 1, Birmingham City 1. Scott Hogan (Birmingham City) header from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Ryan Woods with a cross.
84'Post update
Attempt saved. Ched Evans (Preston North End) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Sean Maguire.
83'Substitution
Substitution, Birmingham City. Scott Hogan replaces Onel Hernández.
83'Substitution
Substitution, Birmingham City. Jobe Bellingham replaces Jérémie Bela.
82'Substitution
Substitution, Birmingham City. Ryan Woods replaces Ivan Sunjic.
81'Post update
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Neil Etheridge.
80'Post update
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Marc Roberts.
75'Post update
Attempt blocked. Marc Roberts (Birmingham City) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jérémie Bela with a cross.
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Source: bbc.com