Soft centre: Kenny Jackett desperate to find right combination for Rotherham United

Jordan Hugill and Callum Robinson netted first-half headers to put Simon Grayson’s side in a commanding position.

Captain Richard Wood handed Rotherham a chance with his header on 71 minutes but Preston substitute Marnick Vermijl sealed victory with a back-post tap-in with 10 minutes to go.

Defeat leaves Rotherham eight points from safety following a fourth consecutive home defeat.

Jackett concedes his side need to shore up defensively if they are to have a chance of staying in the division. “We have given poor goals away again which has put them in control of the game.

“They were soft goals, too, and then when we did get a run at them, they just had enough to break on the counter and make it too much for us.

“Finding a defensive set-up that can keep us in games has been tough. Preston looked like they could score goals and it took a huge amount of effort to be able to affect them.”

Jackett says his players are naturally low on confidence having conceded 38 goals already and only winning one game.

He added: “It’s deflating for the players because you need to stay in games. We didn’t do enough and we didn’t have a defensive solidity about us that could keep us in the game.

“I am learning about the players and trying to find the best combination for us.”

Rotherham United: Camp, Fisher, Fry, Wood, Mattock, Taylor (Brown 76), Ball (Halford 46), Vaulks, Newell, Blackstock (Odemwingie 46), Ward. Unused substitutes: Kelly, Forde, Price, Belaid.

Preston North End: Maxwell, Baptiste, Clarke, Wright, Cunningham, McGeady (Beckford 89), Gallagher, Johnson, Pringle (Vermijl 77), Robinson, Hugill (Makienok 55). Unused substitutes: Lindegaard, Doyle, Grimshaw, Huntington.

Referee: A Woolmer (Northamptonshire).