Sixth-placed Preston opened up a five-point gap to the pack chasing the Coca-Cola Championship play-offs with a narrow 1-0 victory over bottom club Crewe.

Brett Ormerod scored the only goal - his second since joining from Southampton in January - seven minutes before the break and that was enough to secure a victory that gives them a decent cushion to the likes of Wolves and Cardiff.

Crewe, who remain 10 points adrift of fourth-bottom Sheffield Wednesday and look set for League One next season, failed to show the improved form that had taken them on a run of one defeat in five games and never looked like keeping their survival hopes alive.