Deon Burton's early opener should have been a platform for The Owls to get their first win since the win at Barnsley at the end of 2006 but defensive frailties and giveaways gifted North End three simple goals.
In all truth, Preston did not even break sweat as their victory over a below-par Owls side was nothing more than pedestrian - but with a striker as clinical as David Nugent, mistakes were punished.
"We gave Preston all their goals without them having to work for them," Laws fumed. "We shot ourselves in the foot because our decision-making was indefensible.
"We've got eradicate these silly errors and make the right decisions in the right areas. We're lacking in confidence and, when you're low on confidence, you have to go back to basics."
This period is really a test of Laws' managerial metal and despite me believing he is undoubtedly the man for the job, his failure to bring in a defender after the sale of Madjid Bougherra could prove pivotal.
Fortunately though, the former Scunthorpe boss wants to bring a defender in on loan to help fix up the club's leaky backline.