Priske scores twice as Blues thrash Preston 4-0

August Priske scored twice as Birmingham City swept aside bottom-of-the-table Preston North End 4-0 at St Andrew's on Tuesday night to climb to third in the Championship.

Liam Millar gave Blues the lead, Priske struck twice in first-half stoppage time, and substitute Demarai Gray added a fourth after Preston's Stanley Mills had been sent off.

A slow start, then a flood

Preston set up with a back five designed to frustrate, and actually had the first effort on target, when Callum Lang met a free-kick and James Beadle had to claw it out of the top corner.

Blues took 20 minutes to threaten. Jay Stansfield chipped to the far post for Millar to nod into the six-yard box, but Andrew Hughes cleared. Jordan Storey headed over from a corner.

The breakthrough came in the 33rd minute. The recalled Patrick Roberts ran onto Stansfield's pass and picked out Millar, who scored for the second home match running.

In first-half stoppage time Alex Cochrane pounced on a drop-ball and fizzed in a cross that Priske powered home. There was still time for a third: Jhon Solis pressed Jordan Thompson into a mistake, Stansfield played a reverse pass, and Priske finished in off the post.

Red card and a fourth

Priske went close to a hat-trick after the restart, which would have been the first by a Blues player since Scott Hogan's against West Bromwich Albion in September 2021, but Daniel Iversen saved his header.

Before the hour, Mills lunged late at Cochrane and was shown a second yellow card by referee Sam Allison.

Max Bird, on for his St Andrew's debut, forced a save with a volley and should have scored with a free header. Then in the 77th minute Gray cut in from the left past Odel Offiah and found the far corner.

The verdict

Priske now has five goals this season, and Millar has five goal contributions in six matches since joining on loan. Christoph Klarer, the captain, led the back line to another clean sheet, and Tomoki Iwata was once again solid in midfield.

"A thoroughly professional attacking performance," was Birmingham Live's verdict, with Roberts' recall against a defensive side paying off.

The win lifted Blues to third after ten games and gave their goal difference a healthy boost. They are back at St Andrew's on Saturday against Queens Park Rangers, the former club of right-back Bright Osayi-Samuel, who avoided a booking and will be available.

Chris Davies led Blues to a record-breaking League One title, and his side are now showing they can compete near the top of the Championship. With QPR next and a busy autumn schedule ahead, the next few weeks will show whether this strong start can be sustained.