QPR boss Ian Holloway slammed the officials' decision to send midfielder Luke Freeman off in the loss to Preston.

Kazenga LuaLua’s sublime backheel gave the R’s an advantage but Aiden McGeady’s curling effort from 20 yards drew North End level before half-time.

Jordan Hugill sealed Preston's third win in four games but Freeman received a second booking for an alleged studs up challenge on Tommy Spurr, which left Hoops boss Holloway riled.

“He’s tried to ride the tackle and not hurt anybody," he said. "Apparently the ref didn’t see it,the linesman didn’t see it and the fourth official’s made an absolutely outrageous call and said it’s a second yellow.

"It’s hard enough here anyway and you end up with ten men whether it’s fair or right. If someone stamps on you, I would definitely want them sent off - Luke didn’t do that.

"How can you make such a blatant error? I just don’t understand it.

“We can’t even appeal because it’s a second yellow which I think has got to be a mistake with the rules that I know.

“Get the fourth official sat looking at a screen, for Christ’s sake, and get these decisions right."

Daryl Horgan’s corner on the half-hour was met by Hugill and Alex Smithies displayed quick reflexes to parry the header over.

The R’s took the lead when the Preston rearguard failed to clear Darnell Furlong’s 36th minute throw in and Brighton loanee LuaLua backheeled past Maxwell for his first Hoops goal.

McGeady drew the Lilywhites level on the stroke of half-time after cutting inside and curling a right footed shot past Smithies for his third goal in four games.

Ryan Manning evaded challenges on the edge of the Preston box two minutes after the restart to dart into the box and unleash a thundering effort just over.

Horgan led the charge on the hour and clipped in a teasing cross for Robinson who was denied by Nedum Onuoha's crucial challenge.

Callum Robinson thought he had given the Lilywhites a 64th minute lead after he poked Greg Cunningham’s cross home but was flagged offside.

But Hugill handed Preston the advantage by tapping home after Smithies made a brilliant save from the striker’s initial 72nd minute effort from Horgan's corner.

Jake Bidwell denied Hugill a second moments after the restart with a key close range challenge, before Freeman was shown a second yellow card 12 minutes from the end.

Joel Lynch's attempted 88th minute clearance struck the bar before Smithies smothered Hugill's follow up.

The QPR stopper also denied Preston substitute Tom Barkhuizen's late effort, but Lilywhites boss Simon Grayson praised his match-winner's goalscoring instinct.

"He reacted in the first place really good in terms of losing his man and getting the first ball," he said of Hugill. "He was first to react and obviously it gives us something to really build off.

"Obviously the sending off then happened and the game opened up and some of the play we had in that second half was exceptional apart from the ruthlessness to get the third and the fourth goal maybe to have made it a real comfortable afternoon for us.

"The first half we were a little bit disjointed, but in the second half we were very good."