EMIL Riis’s second-half winner meant Cherries missed the chance to get back into the Championship’s automatic promotion places after a dramatic 2-1 defeat at Preston.

Jamal Lowe’s third goal in as many games had put the Dorset club ahead on 50 minutes in Lancashire, before Cameron Archer’s driven strike levelled the contest for the Lilywhites.

And substitute Riis struck the winner in the 89th minute for the hosts – with Cherries boss Scott Parker and already-substituted Adam Smith sent off from the bench in the aftermath.

Defeat left Cherries third in the league table.

Cherries went into the contest having lost four of their past seven games against Preston in all competitions.

The visitors made two changes from their line-up which overcame Stoke City last time out.

Nat Phillips and Jaidon Anthony came into the starting XI after returning from illness and injury respectively. They replaced Chris Mepham and Siriki Dembele, who dropped to the bench.

There was no place in Parker’s squad for Jack Stacey or Gary Cahill.

Cherries started the contest brightly. Todd Cantwell’s effort from range was well held by home keeper Daniel Iversen.

Then, having won the ball high up the pitch, Dominic Solanke played through Lowe, who had timed his run to surge into the box. The Jamaica international’s driven effort was blocked by a covering defender.

Cherries then had a shout for a penalty waved away by referee Matt Donohue. After the visitors won possession through Philip Billing, Solanke drove into the box and went to ground under a challenge with nothing given.

North End were then gifted an opportunity to have their first shot on goal with 20 minutes gone.

After Phillips’s misplaced pass was intercepted, frontman Ched Evans drilled the ball through the legs of the defender and tasked Mark Travers with gathering.

Ryan Lowe’s side, who had not won in their past three ahead of kick-off, then had their tails up.

A ball over the top found the run of Aston Villa loanee Archer – his first attempt was blocked by the legs of Phillips before, after a neat passing move, firing over the bar.

Archer again proved a threat for Cherries. After being slipped through inside the box, his neat touch allowed him to fire a daisy-cutter which was thwarted by the feet of Travers.

But Cherries gained the advantage with just five minutes gone in the second period. A teasing ball in from Anthony was not dealt with by the home defence – allowing Lowe to touch round Iversen and slot into an empty net.

The hosts responded just four minutes later, however, through the lively Archer.

After appeals for a foul on Cantwell were waved away in the middle of the park, the Lilywhites surged down the right through Daniel Johnson. His cutback was met by the striker, who fired in off the post to level up the contest.

Cherries then spurned a glorious chance to regain the advantage.

A cross from the left from Anthony was met by Billing, who had found space inside the box, only for the Denmark international to blast wide of Iversen’s left-hand post.

Parker then looked to the bench and introduced Ethan Laird and Ryan Christie – who was back from a quad injury – in place of Adam Smith and Anthony.

Ben Pearson was then introduced by the visitors. The former Preston man received a few boos by the home fans as he entered the field.

Phillips must have thought he had won the game for Cherries when he headed at goal from a corner, only to be denied by a sublime stop from Iversen.

And Preston found their winner with a minute of normal time remaining. Alan Browne threaded through Riis to fire in at the far post past Travers.

Cherries' woes were compounded shortly after the winner as referee Donohue showed red cards to both Parker and Smith in the away dugout. 

Preston: Iversen, Diaby, van den Berg, Hughes, Potts (Murphy, 74), Browne, Whiteman, Earl (McCann, 63), Johnson, Evans (Riis, 74), Archer.

Unused subs: Rafferty, Huntington, Sinclair, Ripley (g/k).

Booked: Potts, Johnson.

Cherries: Travers, Smith (Laird, 67), Phillips, Kelly, Zemura, L Cook, Cantwell (Pearson, 80), Billing, Anthony (Christie, 67), Solanke, Lowe.

Unused subs: Mepham, Marcondes, Dembele, Woodman (g/k).

Booked: Billing. 

Sent off: Parker, Smith.

Referee: Matt Donohue.