North End's young reserve side were put to the sword by some smart Manchester United finishing in the Lancashire Senior Cup tie at Deepdale.
The Lilywhites showed a competitive edge in the opening 45 minutes of the game and were well worthy of the 1-1 scoreline as the two teams went in at the break. Brian O'Neil had marshalled a young defensive line superbly but it was the Scotsman's absence in the second half which looked to be the major difference between the two sides in the second half.<BR><BR>North End had no answer for United's swift attacking play and they were made to pay in devastating style. A fine Lewis Neal strike was scant consolation in what was a one-sided second half.
It all looked to be going so well for Billy Barr's team once Brian Stock had cancelled out an early Chris Eagles strike, North End were pushing for a lead as the referee blew for the interval and looked the stronger of the sides - but the second half was a different story entirely.
While all the media attention was on the return of Alan Smith at Deepdale, Preston North End were more concerned with the health and fitness of Brian O'Neil who got his first run-out since the friendly with Everton in mid-July. O'Neil was joined in a strong PNE line-up by Joe Anyinsah, who was also returning from injury, Andy Lonergan, Brian Stock, Patrick Agyemang and Lewis Neal. Billy Barr also included several youngsters in defence and they would have the tricky task of keeping the likes of Smith and Giuseppi Rossi quiet, although O'Neil was installed at the centre of defence to keep a steady ship.
Two minutes in and Manchester United had the lead. Former Watford man Chris Eagles cut through the North End defence like a knife through butter and unchallenged he easily slotted past the keeper.
In the 12th minute Rossi had a crack at goal from 25-yards out when he picked up the ball deep and ran at the heart of the North End defence, his shot though sailed just wide of Lonergan's left-hald post.
Rossi again found space in the box when he linked well with Smith on the box, he got his shot away but it was well blocked at point blank range by Shearwood.
North End's first shot came in the 22nd minute when the lively Anyinsah got a yard of space on the edge of the box and flashed a shot towards goal, but it was always going wide as soon as it left his boot.
North End equalised on the stroke of half-time. It was Brian Stock who levelled matters when he picked up a loose ball 20 yards out and hit a low daisy-cutter to Heaton's left with his left boot.
Alan Smith should have scored on his return seconds later when he was slotted in by Liam Miller on the edge of box but he snatched at his opportunity and the ball flew into the side netting.
The Lilywhites were slowly coming into the game and in the 34th minute Stock had another opportunity on the edge of the box. This time after Lewis Neal had put on some dazzling skills on the left, drilled a ball towards the six-yard box, it was half cleared but only to the feet of Stock but his shot flew wide.
In the 42nd minute North End had another decent chance when Neal played a ball into Anyinsah's feet in the area, Joe was tackled but the ball fell into the path of Neal who had continued his run and his left footed effort was heading towards goal before finding the midriff of Ritchie Jones.
North End made a change at the break with Matt Mainwearing coming on in midfield which meant that Beattie moved to centre-half for the departed Brian O'Neil.
The Lilywhites could have taken the lead in the 51st minute when Agyemang played McGrail in on the right and the young wing-man chipped a ball over the keeper on the angle but it just clipped the outside of the post.
In the 54th minute Manchester United were back in the lead when Guiseppi Rossi gave the crowd a glimpse of his potential with stunning right-footed strike as he cut in from the right of the box, Lonergan had no chance as it smashed into the top corner.
It was 3-1 in the 59th minute after Jamie Mullan set his full-back Daniel Rose clear on the left, Rose took one look up and delivered a cross-cum-shot to the back post which smashed into the goal off of the back post.
One minute later North End were back in it with a great goal. Joe Anyinsah danced through the centre of the park and played a ball wide to the impressive McGrail, the youngster whipped in a teasing delivery and Anyinsah it was arriving later who put in the decisive challenge for the ball to fall to Lewis Neal who smashed home.
The goals were literally flying in at this stage and on 64 minutes it was 4-2 with a second from Rossi. Chris Eagles did the damage on the left, sending in a great ball on a plate to Rossi just eight yards out, the diminutive striker took it on his chest and volleyed home.
On 68 minutes Preston made a second change when Ashley Higgins replaced Joe Anyinsah, United also made a change when Alan Smith came off for Sean Evans.
IN the 74th minute United made a second change when Rossi was replaced by Phil Marsh in attack and the United youngster got off the mark within seconds of coming on. He ran on to a Miller through ball, slid the ball to his right for Eagles, the midfielder returned the compliment with a pass into Marsh's path and the striker slotted it home from 12-yards right in front of goal.
In the 78th minute Liam Maloney came on for McGrail and McGrail got a warm round of applause after an impressive and energetic display.
United made a further change when Mullan was replaced by Michael Barnes.
In the 80th minute it was 6-2 at Deepdale and this time it was former North End loanee David Jones who found the back of the net. He picked up the ball midway into the Preston half, cut in through the right channel and once he got a few yards into the box he hit a low effort to Lonergan's near post that just crept into the back of the net.Lonergan pulled off a classy save in the 87th minute to deny Chris Eagles, the Manchester United midfielder had broken the offside trap and was clear through on goal, once he got inside the box he unleashed a power drive at goal but Lonergan's reflexes were equal to the strike and it was put behind for a corner.In the last seconds of the game though Lonergan had a moment that he would rather forget when his clearance went straight to the feet of Marsh, the striker ran unopposed straight into the box to make it seven on the night with the last kick of the game.
Lonergan, Aspin, Shearwood, O'Neil, Bloxham, Beattie, McGrail, Stock, Agyemang, Anyinsah, Neal. Subs: Maloney, Thompson, Mainwearing, Higgins, McMahon.
Man Utd: Heaton, Kieran, Rose, Jones, Shawcross, Miller, Eagles, Jones, Smith, Rossi, Mullan. Subs: Barnes, Zieler, Evans, Marsh, Burns, N'Galula.
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The Lilywhites showed a competitive edge in the opening 45 minutes of the game and were well worthy of the 1-1 scoreline as the two teams went in at the break. Brian O'Neil had marshalled a young defensive line superbly but it was the Scotsman's absence in the second half which looked to be the major difference between the two sides in the second half.<BR><BR>North End had no answer for United's swift attacking play and they were made to pay in devastating style. A fine Lewis Neal strike was scant consolation in what was a one-sided second half.
It all looked to be going so well for Billy Barr's team once Brian Stock had cancelled out an early Chris Eagles strike, North End were pushing for a lead as the referee blew for the interval and looked the stronger of the sides - but the second half was a different story entirely.
While all the media attention was on the return of Alan Smith at Deepdale, Preston North End were more concerned with the health and fitness of Brian O'Neil who got his first run-out since the friendly with Everton in mid-July. O'Neil was joined in a strong PNE line-up by Joe Anyinsah, who was also returning from injury, Andy Lonergan, Brian Stock, Patrick Agyemang and Lewis Neal. Billy Barr also included several youngsters in defence and they would have the tricky task of keeping the likes of Smith and Giuseppi Rossi quiet, although O'Neil was installed at the centre of defence to keep a steady ship.
Two minutes in and Manchester United had the lead. Former Watford man Chris Eagles cut through the North End defence like a knife through butter and unchallenged he easily slotted past the keeper.
In the 12th minute Rossi had a crack at goal from 25-yards out when he picked up the ball deep and ran at the heart of the North End defence, his shot though sailed just wide of Lonergan's left-hald post.
Rossi again found space in the box when he linked well with Smith on the box, he got his shot away but it was well blocked at point blank range by Shearwood.
North End's first shot came in the 22nd minute when the lively Anyinsah got a yard of space on the edge of the box and flashed a shot towards goal, but it was always going wide as soon as it left his boot.
North End equalised on the stroke of half-time. It was Brian Stock who levelled matters when he picked up a loose ball 20 yards out and hit a low daisy-cutter to Heaton's left with his left boot.
Alan Smith should have scored on his return seconds later when he was slotted in by Liam Miller on the edge of box but he snatched at his opportunity and the ball flew into the side netting.
The Lilywhites were slowly coming into the game and in the 34th minute Stock had another opportunity on the edge of the box. This time after Lewis Neal had put on some dazzling skills on the left, drilled a ball towards the six-yard box, it was half cleared but only to the feet of Stock but his shot flew wide.
In the 42nd minute North End had another decent chance when Neal played a ball into Anyinsah's feet in the area, Joe was tackled but the ball fell into the path of Neal who had continued his run and his left footed effort was heading towards goal before finding the midriff of Ritchie Jones.
North End made a change at the break with Matt Mainwearing coming on in midfield which meant that Beattie moved to centre-half for the departed Brian O'Neil.
The Lilywhites could have taken the lead in the 51st minute when Agyemang played McGrail in on the right and the young wing-man chipped a ball over the keeper on the angle but it just clipped the outside of the post.
In the 54th minute Manchester United were back in the lead when Guiseppi Rossi gave the crowd a glimpse of his potential with stunning right-footed strike as he cut in from the right of the box, Lonergan had no chance as it smashed into the top corner.
It was 3-1 in the 59th minute after Jamie Mullan set his full-back Daniel Rose clear on the left, Rose took one look up and delivered a cross-cum-shot to the back post which smashed into the goal off of the back post.
One minute later North End were back in it with a great goal. Joe Anyinsah danced through the centre of the park and played a ball wide to the impressive McGrail, the youngster whipped in a teasing delivery and Anyinsah it was arriving later who put in the decisive challenge for the ball to fall to Lewis Neal who smashed home.
The goals were literally flying in at this stage and on 64 minutes it was 4-2 with a second from Rossi. Chris Eagles did the damage on the left, sending in a great ball on a plate to Rossi just eight yards out, the diminutive striker took it on his chest and volleyed home.
On 68 minutes Preston made a second change when Ashley Higgins replaced Joe Anyinsah, United also made a change when Alan Smith came off for Sean Evans.
IN the 74th minute United made a second change when Rossi was replaced by Phil Marsh in attack and the United youngster got off the mark within seconds of coming on. He ran on to a Miller through ball, slid the ball to his right for Eagles, the midfielder returned the compliment with a pass into Marsh's path and the striker slotted it home from 12-yards right in front of goal.
In the 78th minute Liam Maloney came on for McGrail and McGrail got a warm round of applause after an impressive and energetic display.
United made a further change when Mullan was replaced by Michael Barnes.
In the 80th minute it was 6-2 at Deepdale and this time it was former North End loanee David Jones who found the back of the net. He picked up the ball midway into the Preston half, cut in through the right channel and once he got a few yards into the box he hit a low effort to Lonergan's near post that just crept into the back of the net.Lonergan pulled off a classy save in the 87th minute to deny Chris Eagles, the Manchester United midfielder had broken the offside trap and was clear through on goal, once he got inside the box he unleashed a power drive at goal but Lonergan's reflexes were equal to the strike and it was put behind for a corner.In the last seconds of the game though Lonergan had a moment that he would rather forget when his clearance went straight to the feet of Marsh, the striker ran unopposed straight into the box to make it seven on the night with the last kick of the game.
Lonergan, Aspin, Shearwood, O'Neil, Bloxham, Beattie, McGrail, Stock, Agyemang, Anyinsah, Neal. Subs: Maloney, Thompson, Mainwearing, Higgins, McMahon.
Man Utd: Heaton, Kieran, Rose, Jones, Shawcross, Miller, Eagles, Jones, Smith, Rossi, Mullan. Subs: Barnes, Zieler, Evans, Marsh, Burns, N'Galula.
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