Alan Irvine's men recovered from going a goal behind after less than 80 seconds to roar back with strikes from skipper Paul McKenna and Simon Whaley to turn things round by half-time.

And they completed the job with a gutsy defensive display after the interval to hold on bravely to the points.

North End, notoriously slow starters since being promoted to the Championship in 2000, wsere given little hope by the bookies of claiming a win in Suffolk.

Ipswich boasted the best home record in the division last year and were odds-on to continue that form on the first day of the new campaign.

When new striker Kevin Lisbie capitalised on a misunderstanding by Sean St Ledger to flick a header past Andrew Lonergan just over a minute into the game it looked like they might be right.

But Jim Magilton's men could hardly have expected what was to follow with their guests turning things round by the 33rd minute and then holding out for the remainder of the game to claim a stunning win.

Captain Fantastic McKenna rifled in a shot from the edge of the box after a great crossfield passing move involving Barry Nicholson, Richard Chaplow and Chris Sedgwick to level after 21 minutes.

And when McKenna sent away Billy Jones on the overlap with a
quickly-taken free-kick 12 minutes later, the full-back drilled in a low cross and Whaley scooped the ball into the roof of the net from five yards out.

Preston spent the bulk of the second half on the back foot with Ipswich pressing forward, but failing to find the breakthrough against some dogged defending.

Despite their pressure Lonergan was rarely tested. And when referee Paul Taylor waved away loud claims for a penalty when Lisbie went down in the box under pressure from St Ledger a minute into stoppage time, Preston breathed a sigh of relief to celebrate a surprise victory.

Ipswich, who were only beaten on home soil once in the Championship last season, picked up where they left off by taking the lead before some fans had even settled in their seats.

But they had North End to thank for gifting them their opener with less than 80 seconds on the clock. St Ledger appeared to leave a chipped ball from Danny Haynes for Lonergan and striker Kevin Lisbie nipped in behind to flick a header past the furious keeper.

Fired up by that early setback Preston settled down to play some neat football and soon had the home side on the back foot.

They were level on 21 minutes when a slick crossfield move involving Nicholson, Chaplow and Sedgwick set up McKenna just outside the box and his right-foot rocket screamed into the top left corner leaving former England keeper Richard Wright helpless.

And after Nicholson and Whaley had both gone close, North End snatched a deserved lead in the 33rd minute.

The skipper's quick thinking at a free-kick found Jones unmarked on the overlap on the right and his low cross drilled into the middle was turned into the roof of the net by Whaley from barely five yards out.
Manager Irvine sprang a couple of surprises with his first teamsheet of the new campaign. Experienced right-back Michael Hart was omitted from the starting line up, giving Jones back the place he lost through injury towards the end of last term.

And new signing Ross Wallace only made the substitutes' bench because of a lack of fitness following his late loan move from Sunderland - workhorse Sedgwick taking the left-wing slot.

As expected North End's other summer capture, midfielder Nicholson, was handed a tucked in role on the right-hand side.

Whaley was preferred up front alongside the red hot Neil Mellor, whose eight goals in pre-season had followed five in the last six games of last term.

Ipswich, beaten only once at Portman Road in the league last season, welcomed back old boy Wright in goal following his summer move from West Ham.

Manager Jim Magilton fielded the same 11 who started in Monday night's 5-3 defeat by the Hammers, a game which Irvine travelled down to watch.

But the match came too soon for Ivan Campo whose signing from Bolton will not be completed until a formal medical on Monday.

Ipswich: R Wright, D Wright. McAuley, Garvan, Counago, Lisbie, Balkestein, Haynes, Quinn, Shumulikoski, Smith.

Subs: Bruce, Miller, Lee, Supple, Rhodes

Preston NE: Lonergan, Jones, Davidson, St Ledger, Mawene, Nicholson, Chaplow, McKenna, Sedgwick, Mellor, Whaley.

Subs: Hart, Hawley, Carter, Neal, Wallace