Shrewsbury Town edge closer to the drop - match analysis and pictures

But yesterday their explosive attacking display at a jubilant Deepdale illustrated exactly why Shrewsbury Town find themselves in the position they do the other end of the table.

The Lilywhites were, on this occasion, far from water-tight at the back, but they always had the firepower to keep themselves a couple of steps ahead.

Unfortunately the same cannot be said of Town, who have struggled badly for goals all season and are the division's lowest scorers.

Their inability to put the ball in the net consistently has meant that defensive lapses have proved so much more costly than they otherwise would.

Put simply they have too often had no margin for error and so it proved again yesterday – a result which sadly leaves Town looking all but relegated with two games left to play.

Mike Jackson rang the changes from Friday's demoralising loss to Crewe with Asa Hall, Joseph Mills and Ryan Woods coming into the starting line-up while injured skipper Tamika Mkandawire was ruled out because of a foot injury that looks set to end his season.

Jackson's defensive options were further restricted by a sickness bug which ruled out Dave Winfield. Meanwhile midfielders Paul Parry and Luke Summerfield dropped to the bench while youth team players Niall Flint and Alex Fletcher were included on the bench, the latter for the first time.

Jackson moved left-back Jacobson into centre-back to cover for Mkandawire with Mills moving to full-back, and he also opted for an experimental diamond formation in midfield.

But the hosts nonetheless made the early running, bombarding Town's re-jigged back four with crosses and through balls.

Connor Goldson did well to prevent a chested-down ball by Kevin Davies from reaching its intended target inside the box early on.

And when goalkeeper Chris Weale failed to claim a corner-kick which followed, it was again scrambled clear at the last second by his defenders.

Dominic Iorfa did superbly to prevent Stuart Beavon from opening the scoring after he'd been played into space in the box after 22 minutes.

The Lilywhites man looked certain to score but Iorfa timed his desperate tackle to perfection to block the shooting effort in the nick of time.

Such was the quality of the interception that it drew applause from the home fans too, but the pressure was steadily growing on the visitors.

Town were struggling to string passes together as the midway point of the half approached, with several decent moves breaking down in the final third.

Woods' accurate far-post cross had Preston looking nervous, though, shortly before the break but it was cleared behind and Town were unable to profit from the corner kick.

Lee Holmes had no such problem when presented with a similar chance however, heading home after 33 minutes from a deep Paul Gallagher cross.

The ball was hung up at the far post and he made no mistake with his header, nodding it down and underneath Weale into the net on 34 minutes.

And Bailey Wright made it 2-0 with a superb volley from 16 yards out six minutes later that again gave Weale little chance to save, although the marking by the visitors which allowed him to get the shot away left plenty to be desired.

Town continued to battle away diligently and they were thrown a lifeline when Shaun Miller pulled a goal back with a cool finish two minutes before the break.

The Sheffield United loanee dispossessed Jack King from Scott Laird's pass and rounded Declan Rudd to slot home. It was a real predator's finish after the hosts had been caught napping at the back, and it offered Town just a glimmer of hope.

Both sides made changes at half-time with Tom Eaves replacing Tom Bradshaw up front and Paul Parry replacing Wildig, who was having some calf trouble, in midfield for Town.

Preston swapped Tom Clarke for Chris Humphrey meanwhile.

Jackson explained that the changes had been out of necessity, stating: "We started with a couple of the quicker lads up front and Jon Taylor in behind them with the aim of keeping the ball up the pitch but it wasn't working.

"We needed something physical up there so we brought Eavsey on to try and give us that strength.

"Aaron Wildig was struggling with his calves (and) he was tired so we had to change it and Paul Parry adds us that experience."

But the hosts grabbed that crucial next goal through Gallagher, having already gone close minutes earlier through Holmes' deflected free-kick and an acrobatic Wright effort.

Gallagher made no mistake when his turn arrived though, slotting home on the half-volley at the back post.

Town had failed to deal with Beavon's cross from the right and Gallagher drilled home in space.

Things got worse for Town three minutes later when Connor Goldson was adjudged to have fouled Alan Browne in the box.

There were few appeals from the home side immediately following the challenge but Gallagher was brutally clinical from 12 yards.

At the other end Miller was not far away with a header which drifted just wide from Tom Eaves' cross on 65 minutes.

And Luke Summerfield pulled another goal back 13 minutes from time when Parry floated over a superb right-wing cross from Eaves' pass.

The midfielder powered a firm header past Rudd at the near post for his first goal of the season.

But Gallagher made it 5-2 on 80 minutes, completing a fine second half hat-trick, with a smooth free-kick after Browne, who was proving a real handful in and around the box, drew the foul from Summerfield just outside the area.

Gallagher whipped his shot low through the wall and into the far post to complete the scoring.

Preston have now managed 11 goals in their last two home games, following a 6-1 mauling of Carlisle last Saturday. And it would have been six again had Weale not done superbly to beat away Humphrey's 90th-minute drive.

In some ways 5-2 was perhaps a little harsh on a Town side which worked hard and produced two good goals.

But the final score emphasised a key difference between the sides at the top and the bottom of League One.

And Town will enter the penultimate weekend of the season knowing that their return to League Two could well be rubber-stamped at home to Peterborough on Saturday.