August Priske scored twice as Birmingham City went third in the Championship table with an emphatic first home win of the season at St Andrew's at Knighthead Park against bottom club Preston North End.

The 22-year-old striker's double in first-half stoppage time was sandwiched by an opener from Liam Millar and a superb second-half hit from Demarai Gray to deliver a 4-0 scoreline for Chris Davies' side.

Preston, playing their second game under new manager Graham Alexander, were outplayed but also outnumbered after Stanley Mills was given a second yellow card just before the hour mark.

The visitors remain rooted to the foot of the table with just one win all season but a third win in four for Birmingham moved the Blues up four places, four points behind Middlesbrough in second place.

Ironically, Alexander would have been pleased enough with the application shown by his side before they fell behind just after the half-hour mark.

By that stage an even contest had seen Preston force a fine save from James Beadle after Callum Lang sent an early set-piece header towards the top-right corner.

But from the moment Millar met Patrick Roberts' cutback on 34 minutes after Preston lost possession in their own half, it was one-way traffic, with Priske's double effectively putting the game to bed in first-half stoppage time.

The Dane had been more miss than hit last season with just one goal coming in the final game of the season after arriving in the January transfer window but he built on a winning penalty against West Brom last Saturday and doubled his league haul.

Priske reacted quickest when Alex Cochrane swung in from a drop ball from the left flank, firing home from eight yards for his first and celebrating as Preston complained about referee Sam Allison's decision.

His second was a sweet hit from the edge of the box after Preston were caught dawdling and the excellent Jay Stansfield teed it up on the edge of the box, the forward producing a quality right-foot finish in off the inside of the right-hand post.

At 3-0 down at half-time Preston already faced a huge task to get anything but a second yellow card for Mills for a crude challenge on Cochrane after he had lost the ball proved ruinous.

Gray, on as a second-half substitute, hammered home the advantage with a moment of quality on 76 minutes, making room for himself on the left side of the area with a dropped shoulder before curling a right-foot shot inside the far post.

Birmingham City manager Chris Davies speaking to BBC Radio WM:

"That was a great night for us. There was a patience there and I was really pleased with the way the players approached it. I wanted them to be calm and confident on the ball.

"I thought the fans played their part in that they understood it was going to take time which helped the players find their rhythm.

"That is August Priske's fourth goal now and what you can say is he's 'got going'.

"You can say what you want about nines, he is showing he can do all the nuts and bolts of the game – the running, the pressing, the fighting and dealing with centre backs – but now he is adding the goals.

"The way he took both goals, it was a super side-foot finish from Alex's cross (for the first) and a difficult finish, too. And a nice off-the-post finish for the second. He has shown he is a threat."

Preston manager Graham Alexander speaking to BBC Radio Lancashire:

"It was an extremely difficult night. I thought we started the game well and had some good attacking moments and the keeper has made a really good save from Callum Lang's header.

"I was still reasonably content going in at half-time 1-0 down thinking we've got a right chance in the second half here, but we implode two minutes before half-time with the two goals.

"With 10 men it was about damage limitation. Apart from the goal the lads did as best they could. We know there is so much to improve and so much to work on and no one has a magic wand so we have to work.

"It was a silly decision from Stan [Mills]. It is going to cost him and the team. But I think Stan's heart is in the right place and he wants to win. It is one for him to learn from and he will. He is a great lad and he will be a really good player for us."