Blues' hopes of sealing promotion in front of their own fans were crushed as two wonder strikes handed Preston victory at St. Andrew's this evening.

Everything seemed to be going to plan when Keith Fahey headed Alex McLeish's side in front just before the hour.

But after both teams were reduced to ten men for a midfield skirmish between Lee Bowler and Lee Williamson, it was the visitors that adapted better after that.

Preston captain Paul McKenna let fly with an unstoppable shot from distance and as Blues went in search of a winner again they were caught late on when they conceded a free-kick which was despatched from fully 30 yards by Ross Wallace.

Blues must now win at Reading next week to secure promotion but, if The Royals collect three points at Norwich on Monday evening, Steve Coppell's side will know that another victory on the final day would see them leapfrog McLeish's men.

And then of course Sheffield United are also in the mix but Blues at least know that a win at the Madejski Stadium would definitely do it.

McLeish made two changes from the team that won at Watford last week with Maik Taylor recalled between the posts after suspension, for Colin Doyle, and loanee Djimi Traore coming in for his full debut in place of the injured David Murphy.

Traore dropped in as a direct replacement for Murphy at left back with Queudrue keeping his spot in the centre of defence alongside Radhi Jaidi.

A packed St. Andrew's was in full voice to welcome the teams onto the pitch ahead of kick-off.

After Sheffield United's win over Swansea earlier in the day, Blues knew that nothing less than a victory would do to seal promotion and the team showed plenty of urgency with a full throttle approach to the match.

The first real chance of note arrived on ten minutes when Fahey let fly with a 20-yard shot that fizzed just wide of the post.

It was Blues that came closest to open the scoring again when Garry O'Connor latched onto a loose ball inside the area after Preston keeper Andy Lonergan could only punch clear under pressure but the striker's goalbound shot was blocked by the head of Billy Jones.

Blues had a narrow escape midway through the half when Neil Mellor's cross-cum-shot skidded past Taylor and grazed the side of the post but that wasn't the end of the let-off.

The ball rebounded out to Chris Sedgwick five yards out and completely unmarked, although admittedly at a slight angle, but the midfielder lashed his shot into the side-netting.

Blues fans were celebrating moments later when it looked as though Lonergan may have taken the ball over his own goal line after Queudrue had connected to a Larsson corner.

But the referee spotted that the Frenchman hand in fact used his hand to make contact with the ball, for which Blues' player-of-the-season was booked.

Bowyer was next into the referee's notebook for a trip on Eddie Nolan and then Jon Parkin followed him for a foul on Queudrue.

The game went into something of a lull, both on and off the pitch, and Blues were in need of some inspiration.

Jaidi tried his best when he rose at the far post to meet a Larsson corner but couldn't keep his header down.

Preston had two penalty appeals turned down late in the half, firstly when Queudrue appeared to handle inside the area and then when Jaidi clashed with Mellor.

Half-time: Blues 0 Preston 0

The first chance of the second half fell to the visitors and it was Birmingham-born defender and self-confessed Villa fan Sean St Ledger that missed a golden opportunity when McKenna's cross found him completely unmarked inside the area.

Fortunately the ever-present centre-half and one-time Blues triallist sent his header well past the target.

Larsson was forced to leave the action with a shoulder injury nine minutes into the second half with Cameron Jerome coming on in his place.

James McFadden dropped into the right wing void left by Larsson and it was from there just three minutes later that he provided the cross from which Fahey sent St. Andrew's raptures.

The midfielder arrived late at the far post to meet McFadden's delightful ball and his bullet header gave Lonergan no chance.

Both teams were reduced to ten men just after the hour when Bowyer and Lee Williamson grabbed hold of each other and tussled and the referee deemed it as violent conduct and ordered both players to the dressing rooms.

Blues' lead lasted just 12 minutes when McKenna produced a bolt from the blue to stun the home crowd.

The midfielder unleashed an unstoppable shot from 35 yards that flew past Taylor and left Blues needing to score again.

McLeish chose this time to introduce top scorer Kevin Phillips for O'Connor.

Blues thought they had restored the lead when Jerome headed past Lonergan from McFadden's cross but the striker was denied a chance to hit the headlines for the second week running by the linesman's offside flag. 

Jerome was inches away moments later from connecting to McFadden's cross and then Fahey fired a fierce shot just over.

But the best chance for Blues to grab a second goal fell to that man Jerome again. 

Traore's far post cross was headed back across Phillips and it bounced through to Jerome just six yards out but the sub scooped his shot over the bar to the despair of the sea of blue behind the goal.

McFadden tried to curl a shot past Lonergan but the Preston keeper saved easily down to his left as Blues searched in vain for a second goal.

But right at the end it was the visitors that stole victory as Wallace's free-kick crashed against the post and bounced agonisingly over the line.

The Preston match winner was then red-carded for taking his shirt off, for which he received his second booking of the game.

There were four minutes of injury time but Blues were visibly deflated and never looked like troubling Lonergan.

Preston have now given themselves a chance of the play-offs but Blues will be desperately trying to avoid the end-of-season lottery by winning at the Madejski Stadium next weekend.

Blues: Maik Taylor, Stephen Carr, Djimi Traore, Radhi Jaidi, Franck Queudrue, Seb Larsson (Cameron Jerome 54), Lee Bowyer, Damien Johnson, Keith Fahey, James McFadden, Garry O'Connor (Kevin Phillips 72).
Subs (from): Martin Taylor, Lee Carsley, Colin Doyle.
Goal: Fahey
Bookings: Queudrue, Bowyer.

Preston: Andy Lonergan, Youl Mawene, Lee Williamson, Chris Sedgwick (Simon Whaley 76), Sean St. Ledger, Paul McKenna, Billy Jones, Ross Wallace, Jon Parkin (Chris Brown 58), Eddie Nolan, Neil Mellor (Liam Chilvers 90).
Subs (from): Chris Neal, Darren Carter.
Goals: McKenna
Bookings: Parkin
Sending off: Wallace

Referee: P Dowd (Staffs)

Attendance: 24,825