Relive Tuesday's Championship live as Southampton beat Preston

BBC SportCopyright: BBC Sport

Southampton's last ditch efforts to get themselves into an automatic promotion spot (and the fumblings of the teams above them) are proving fruitful as they close the gap to just four points.

They will also play both Leeds and Leicester as part of their last four fixtures and will undoubtably try to capitalise on their surging form to try and steal some points.

The Saints play Cardiff next while Leeds are away to in-form Middlesbrough, Leicester take on fifth place West Brom and Ipswich face Hull.

It's all heating up in the promotion chase now.

Phew. Looks like we're getting the greatest ever Championship promotion race then?

Southampton's Adam Armstrong told Sky Sports: "It is a cliché but we are just taking every game as it comes, we have got a massive four games coming up.

"The way the gaffer has set us up is brave, we have to stay brave, It's three points and a massive win."

Southampton goalscorer Che Adams told Sky Sports: "It was total dominance from the first minute - we knew how important this game was.

"It's a cliché but we need to keep going and win as many games as possible. We started well tonight and need to keep it going.

"The gaffer has been really clear in how he wants us to play and you can see the connection on the pitch."

All that mattered today was to win the game. Now we are up to 84 points and there's no point winning this if you can't win Cardiff. We can't drop points.

You've got to have a bit of pressure to perform - you saw Preston today, they had nothing to play for and they played like that. I want to see Southampton digging in because everything is possible.

The Saints go marching on in the promotion race but Preston's play-off race is run...

The damage was done in a scintillating first 33 minutes when Saints looked every inch a Premier League team and Prestion could simply not live with them...

Che Adams bagged himself a brace, Stuart Armstrong got the other and thumped the inside of the post while Freddie Woodman was largely to thank for the margin of victory not being even wider.

Just one shot on goal from Preston tonight, and that came in the seventh minute when Alex McCarthy got down to deny Mads Frokjaer on the counterattack.

Been a long old night but it's nearly over...

Three added minutes to endure.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

Saints are spraying it around without a care in the world in these closing stages. Poor old Preston are plugging away but mainly chasing shadows and very much looking forward to getting home, you'd think.

A chastening night for them, and one which surely ends their faint play-off hopes.

The only blot on an otherwise perfect night for Russell Martin seems to be the injury to Gavin Bazunu in the warm-up.

The keeper has appeared pitchside on crutches amid reports of an Achilles problem. Having played every minute of the Championship campaign before tonight, Saints fans will be waiting anxiously for news about his status.

Joe Rothwell whips a free-kick inches over the Preston crossbar from 20-yards out. A bit too close maybe.

David Brooks is the latest to be applauded off, to be replaced by Kamaldeen Sulemana for the final stages.

The Preston fans look like they are on the bus on the way home already...

I never understand the fans that leave early. I come to the football to watch it. Goals are scored in the last minute all the time.

Ched Evans comes on for Preston, replacing Milutin Osmajic up top for North End.

Evans hasn't scored this season, though he did find his own net to ensure Southampton a 96th minute leveller in the away game the week before Halloween.

It's 206 miles from Deepdale to St Mary's and around 150 Lilywhites fans have taken advantage of free coach travel for this fixture, which was rearranged after a fire near the stadium on matchday last month.

The only problem is that when your side goes 3-0 down after 33 minutes some fans just want to hit the road...

No hat-trick for Che Adams who is withdrawn in favour of Sam Edozie.

Russell Martin puts an arm round him and presumably says something nice to make him feel better.

He was nearly unplayable for a good proportion of that first half and on that form might have a huge influence on the final four games of Southampton's season.

An incredible reaction save, this.

David Brooks latches on to a loose ball near the penalty spot and larrups a shot goalwards but it's always rising and Freddie Woodman is able to fling a hand up and to his right to tip the ball over the bar.

Joe Aribo and Stuart Armstrong get a bit of a rest ahead of Saturday's trip to Cardiff.

Subs Will Smallbone and Joe Rothwell have been stood at the side of the pitch waiting to get on for at least five or six minutes. The perils of possession-based football, I suppose.

Alan Browne is also on for Preston along with Ryan Ledson, Jack Whatmough and Noah Mawene make way.

PA MediaCopyright: PA Media

Freddie Woodman flies off his line to prevent a fourth and a Che Adams hat-trick after the forward had produced a superb piece of control to bring down a searching ball over the top and then unleashed an angled half-volley in the same movement.

Jack Whatmough tries to slalom his way through midfield but is pulled back by Southampton's Joe Aribo to earn Preston a free-kick just inside the Saints half.

Robbie Brady's set-piece comes to nought but Alex McCarthy almost makes a hash of the restart, presenting the ball to Mads Frokjaer in an attempt to play out from the back... sadly for Frokjaer his new boots cannot find a teammate and he instead pulls the ball back to a Southampton shirt.

I think Russell Martin can make a few changes because Southampton aren't progressing much. That's okay, that's football and they are leading 3-0.