Birmingham City moved back into the top half of the Championship thanks to two early goals against Preston North End.

Jay Stansfield grabbed his 11th goal of the campaign to open the scoring before livewire Ibrahim Osman scored the hosts' second of the night just six minutes later.

Preston pulled one back through Andrew Hughes from close range following a mistake by Birmingham goalkeeper James Beadle.

Both free-wheeling teams had chances to add to the goals during an end-to-end second half, with neither side troubled by promotion or relegation concerns.

Stansfield opened the scoring with his first goal for more than two months when he pounced from close range on 10 minutes.

Birmingham took the initiative thanks to Osman charging down a clearance high up the pitch. The Ghanaian drifted inside, rode a challenge, and drove a shot into the box, with Stansfield snatching the final touch to convert past Daniel Iversen.

Osman added Blues' second soon after - his left-wing corner was only partially cleared by North End, allowing him to collect the loose ball and angle his run into the box before despatching a low shot just inside Iversen's left-hand post.

Blues appeared to be cruising but Preston were not done, reducing their deficit in the 25th minute through Hughes. The centre-half bundled the ball over the line from close range after Alfie Devine's corner was spilled by Beadle.

The visitors should have done better in the opening throes of the second half when Phil Neumann's pass was intercepted by Devine, who ran some distance towards the penalty area, only to see his effort denied by the covering Christoph Klarer.

Beadle, making amends for his earlier error, came to Birmingham's rescue just after the hour mark when he denied Milutin Osmajic with an excellent save, as North End continued to ask questions of Chris Davies' side.

At the other end, Carlos Vicente went close when he turned on the edge of the area and unleashed a low shot, which beat Iversen but struck the woodwork, before being hastily cleared.

August Priske was denied his first Birmingham goal late on after Vicente released a pass into his path following a swift counter-attack. The Dane looked favourite to convert the chance, but was denied by his compatriot Iversen from close range.

Blues boss Chris Davies to BBC WM:

"I really liked our start, we played the right type of game, and at that point I thought we could get a third goal and this could be a really great night.

"But typical Championship, they score with a corner – soft from our point of view – but in some ways it was good because it livened us up.

"I said to the players that we've had a couple of nice wins here by four goals, playing some fantastic football. This was a different type of game: a battling, fighting game.

"But if you love football, like I do, this is even better. We showed a fight and spirit because to get six points from a side like Preston is a fantastic return because they are a seasoned Championship side. I'm so pleased with the character of our players."

Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom to BBC Radio Lancashire:

"I have a couple of big frustrations. The goals from our point of view, and then the fact we couldn't take one of the opportunities to get something from the game.

"We started brightly and the two goals were really poor. That 10 minutes knocked us but we responded and regrouped, scored the next goal and got better and better as the game went on.

"Birmingham changed and went more man for man against us, but in the second half we had chances to deal with that. I am disappointed because we were on the front foot, much more aggressive, and created more than enough. That was another frustration.

"Away from home in the Championship is always tough, but we have played worse than that and won games. I felt the game was there for us. We were OK in the first half – even taking the goals out of it – but I've said many times I want to make that shift and get on top away from home and play with a bravery."