Preston boss Ryan Lowe praised his side for dealing with their injury setbacks in their 1-0 win at his former club Plymouth.

Liam Millar, who came on for the injured Milutin Osmajic after only seven minutes, volleyed home the decisive goal in the 43rd minute, while Layton Stewart, on in place of Brad Potts, went close to a second when he smashed a shot against a post.

Lowe said: “I thought the lads were fantastic from start to finish.

“Losing Emil (Riis Jakobsen) this morning to a sickness bug and then to lose two important players in the first 20 minutes, you are thinking, ‘OK’.

“But I thought the two lads who came on equipped themselves fantastically well and were excellent from back to front. I thought they were brilliant.

“We brought Liam on because we thought he would get in behind them.

“You have to adapt these things and that’s what we did. I am full of faith and belief in the boys that are on the pitch.

“(It’s a) perfect way to go into the international break and a week off.

“Three straight away wins and three clean sheets, that’s not a bad way to go into the international break.

“We want an exciting end to the campaign. I have to keep a level head on it as the manager, but the fans can get excited.

“The fans were brilliant today, excellent, all of them. It doesn’t go unnoticed.

“We should have scored more goals and Layton was so unlucky because he did everything right with his shot that came back off the post.”

“Argyle are fighting for points and I wish them well from now on in because the club has a special place in my heart.

“The fans need to be patient and believe in the process and get behind the coach. Everyone needs to stick together.”

The defeat was Plymouth’s fourth home loss in a row and left them just two points above the bottom three.

Head coach Ian Foster said: “It is disappointing because we desperately want to win games of football and we desperately want to win games here at Home Park.

“I felt we were quite unfortunate to be behind at half-time.

“The players gave everything. We fought until the very end.

“We fancied ourselves in the second period, fine margins, but it’s the way things are going for us.

“It’s a similar situation to last week when we got into good positions and didn’t take our chances. We have got to turn chances into goals.

“It does hurt when we don’t win. We have an appreciation of how important points are at the moment.

“The break now might do us a little bit of good, with recharging the batteries.

“I am quite conscious some of the players need a break and the most important thing is they get a breather now.

“But we are desperate to get back to winning ways when we come back.”

Russell Martin hailed Southampton’s resilience after a last-gasp Ched Evans own goal secured them a valuable 2-2 draw at Preston.

Goals from Milutin Osmajic and Brad Potts in three second-half minutes set Preston on course for victory until Evans diverted a 96th-minute corner into his own net while under pressure from Saints goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu.

Kyle Walker-Peters had put Southampton ahead in the first half and Martin was pleased with their performance, despite the need for a late equaliser.

“It’s frustrating that we’ve had to pretty much rely on a late goal to get a point, but I’m really happy with the way we’ve performed over the 90 minutes,” he said.

“It’s a dramatic one I know, but the two 10-minute periods either side of half-time have cost us in the end.

“We needed to defend our box much better, but when they scored twice pretty quickly it seemed to energise Preston and their fans and that didn’t help our situation.

“I can’t be unhappy with the performance overall and I won’t criticise the players, because we’ve had to make changes again tonight and the lads who came in were great.

“The lads showed plenty of resilience throughout and I was proud with the way they kept going right until the end.

“There will be question marks about certain selections over the next few days, but considering those changes we’ve been having to make, we’re still on a decent run.”

Southampton are fifth in the table following the result, while Preston are one spot above and one point better off despite their winless run extending to six games.

They travel to face Hull on Saturday and manager Ryan Lowe admits he has to pick his players up from the blow of conceding so late.

“First and foremost I’m really proud of the boys,” he said.

“We had to change the shape at half-time and then in the second half we’ve stuck to the gameplan really well.

“It’s a sucker punch at the end, but I’ve no complaints about that one. We should have seen the game out by that stage.

“I’ve had to lift the lads up, they’re all disappointed because we were worthy of getting the three points.

“We’ve got to pick ourselves up for another big game at the weekend now.

“The Championship is a rocky road, there’s always lots of ups and downs, but I never get too frustrated any more because I know the players always give me 100 per cent effort and application.

“We’ve got a squad we can rotate and everyone knows they have to keep performing.”

An unfortunate last-minute own goal from sub Ched Evans rescued a point for Southampton in a dramatic 2-2 draw at Preston.

As the end of six minutes of added time approached, Southampton goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu was sent up for Ryan Fraser’s corner, and his presence led to the under-pressure Evans diverting past Freddie Woodman.

The late drama meant Southampton extend their unbeaten run to five games, while gutsy Preston were denied what had looked likely to be a first victory in six following goals from Milutin Osmajic and Brad Potts.

The first Championship meeting between these two in almost 15 years saw North End threaten first.

Recalled wide-man Liam Millar charged down the left before curling in a sweet shot which Bazunu dived full length to palm away.

It had been an encouraging start from the hosts, but the in-form Saints replied with skipper Adam Armstrong firing off target following Shea Charles’ neat lay-off.

Despite their recent dip in form following a terrific start to the season, Preston were definitely up for this one and they went close again when Millar fizzed an effort wide from 22 yards, while Mads Frokjaer-Jensen also tried his luck from distance.

After that there was a period of probing as both sides tried to gain the upper hand.

It was Southampton who broke the deadlock after 33 minutes.

A soft goal from Preston’s point of view as defenders stood off right-back Kyle Walker-Peters before he was allowed space to curl home left-footed from an acute angle.

The terrific travelling support from the south coast were almost on their feet again soon after when Will Smallbone’s near-post cross found Armstrong, but he poked wide.

Walker-Peters then turned hero at the other end as he helped Bazunu divert Will Keane’s strike off the line and onto the post, though Preston players appeared convinced that he had used his arm in doing so.

Preston levelled the scores seven minutes after the restart. Osmajic nailed the finish, with the half-time substitute drilling home on the volley after Ben Whiteman’s cross into the box was not cleared.

The Deepdale roof was raised still further three minutes later when Preston scored again.

This time Potts took a pass from Osmajic before darting down the right flank and tucking underneath Bazunu from a tight angle.

Once Saints had settled again, they pushed hard for a leveller.

Subs Stuart Armstrong and Sekou Mara were both denied by Freddie Woodman, while Charles was wasteful when he blazed over with five minutes left.

Saints eventually got their reward deep into stoppage time in the most dramatic of fashion.

Summer signing Duane Holmes scored the winner as Preston came from behind to beat Swansea 2-1.

North End, who have now won their last three Championship games having drawn their opener, are enjoying their best start to a campaign for 15 years.

The Swans, meanwhile, are still looking for their first win of the season under new boss Michael Duff.

The visitors started brightly at Deepdale and threatened first when Liam Cullen – in for big-money departure Joel Piroe – lashed in a shot which took a deflection before flying just over the crossbar.

At the other end, Brad Potts dragged a smart pass into the path of Ryan Ledson but he clipped an effort narrowly over the top.

Both sides probed for an opening, with the Swans again going close when Cullen curled inches off target after being neatly teed up by Josh Key.

Preston came back with a great chance of their own as Holmes pulled a terrific pass back for the onrushing Mads Frokjaer, only for the Danish midfielder to scoop a disappointing shot off target from 10 yards.

Andrew Hughes fired wide from distance for Preston, while an unmarked Frokjaer’s effort from the edge of the Swans’ box was woefully high.

The Swans punished wasteful North End with a terrific strike after 33 minutes. Charlie Patino crossed in superbly for the onrushing Harrison Ashby and he buried an angled volley from eight yards.

Preston striker Will Keane almost produced an instant reply, but his snapshot was superbly kept out by keeper Carl Rushworth.

The Swans carved out the first chance of the second period as skipper Matt Grimes found space on the edge of the North End box, eventually firing a foot wide and into the side-netting.

With the visitors taking control as the hour mark approached, they almost bagged a second goal. Key curled in an effort which flicked off defender Jordan Storey before drifting just over the crossbar.

Preston finally gained some rhythm and Frokjaer turned neatly before a crisp 20-yard drive only just cleared the crossbar.

North End then evened it up in the 67th minute when Hughes rose highest to flick home a measured cross from skipper Alan Browne.

Twelve minutes later the tie was turned on its head when Holmes sidefooted home clinically as he charged in to meet Frokjaer’s low cross for what turned out to be the decisive goal.