Yu Hirakawa controversially gave Bristol City a helping hand in their 3-1 victory over Preston in the Sky Bet Championship.

The 23-year-old used his hand to take the ball away from Preston goalkeeper Freddie Woodman to score a sixth-minute opener for the visitors.

Sam Greenwood’s free-kick in the 48th minute levelled proceedings but Nahki Wells’ header quickly put the Robins back in front and Max Bird sealed the points late on, condemning Paul Heckingbottom to his first league defeat at Deepdale since becoming Preston manager.

North End had conceded eight goals in their last three games coming into this fixture and Heckingbottom would still have been frustrated with his players at the back, despite the impending controversy.

Liam Lindsay and Woodman both failed to take charge of Jordan Storey’s header backwards and Hirakawa punched the ball past the Preston goalkeeper before rolling into an empty net.

Bristol City were looking comfortable in their defensive shape but Haydon Roberts, who came on as a first-half substitute for the injured George Tanner, was called into brilliant last-ditch action on the stroke of the interval, sliding low to divert Greenwood’s superb cross away from the foot of Mads Frokjaer at the far post.

However, minutes after the interval, Preston’s territorial pressure did reap its rewards and it was the lively Greenwood who delivered.

Luke McNally initially brought the 22-year-old down on the edge of the box and Greenwood picked himself up to slam the resulting free-kick past Max O’Leary at his near post, making it three goals in his last three league matches for the Lilywhites.

It was the perfect start to the second half for the hosts but, inexplicably, they found themselves behind just four minutes later as Wells was left free in the centre of the box to guide a header into the far corner for his fourth goal of the season.

Efficiency was the word of the day with three goals from just three shots on target but O’Leary did get his gloves a little dirty on the hour mark, comfortably claiming a tame Lindsay header at the back post.

But the game could have been wrapped up just three minutes later as Bird dragged wide from a great position after being picked out by Hirakawa.

This truly felt like foreshadowing as Bird again linked up with his Japanese team-mate in the 82nd minute and, from an almost identical position to his chance earlier, the midfielder wrapped the match up with a powerful finish into the far corner.