Full-time: Bamber Bridge 1 PNE 2

An own goal and an Eoin Doyle strike gave PNE the win, with Chris Churchman netting for Brig.

Lilywhites boss Simon Grayson used 26 players over the course of the game, including three goalkeepers.

All seven summer signings featured, Tommy Spurr the one to really catch the eye with an assured display in the first half.

The sides competed for the Gerry Lawson Memorial Trophy, Brig stalwart Mr Lawson having passed away last month at the age of 86.

He was heavily involved in the club for many years, with the main stand at the Sir Tom Finney Stadium named after him.

The 1,876 crowd held a minute's applause for him before kick-off and again in the 86th minute.

North End started off in a 4-4-2 with a diamond-shape midfield, Paul Gallagher sitting at the base of it with Alan Browne and Ben Pringle further forward and Daniel Johnson playing behind front pair Simon Makienok and Jordan Hugill.

Browne lifted an early chance over the bar and into the netting dividing that end of the ground from a wood yard.

The Irishman went closer soon after, his shot from a Makienok knock down, clipping the leg of a defender and going behind for a corner.

Gallagher forced a diving save from new Brig goalkeeer Marcus Burgess, the chance coming after a surging run from Spurr which had carried him into the box.

Spurr had an impressive first-half, getting forward an every opportunity down the left side.

He also did his defensive duties well, him coming round on the cover to block Adam Dodd's run on goal, being one of those moments.

That came during a period of pressure from the home side in which a pull-back from Alistair Waddecarr had to be cleared out of the six-yard box by Bailey Wright.

North End went ahead in the 28th minute, the pressure having built when Tom Clarke's cross from the right was met in the box by Hugill.

His powerful header was superbly saved by Burgess and in the scramble which followed, Glenn Steel's clearance struck team-mate Matt Lawlor on the leg and rolled into the net.

Gallagher pulled a shot wide soon after, before Brig had their best opportunity of the opening period to equalise.

Steel met a deep cross beyond the far post, heading it back across goal where substitute Calum Woods cleared it off the line.

Burgess dived low to his left to save Gallagher's 20-yard shot, Liam Grimshaw's run and pass teeing him up.

After three Preston substitutions made at the half-hour mark, there were a further eight during the interval.

It was 4-2-1-3 for the second period, Joe Garner, Jermaine Beckford and Doyle across the front, supported by Callum Robinson behind.

Nine minutes into the second half, Doyle put a shot straight into Burgess' gloves, then Garner did not get quite enough dip on a 25-yard effort to keep it on target.

At the other end, the hard-working Regan Linney saw a shot catch Paul Huntington on the foot and roll into the arms of Chris Maxwell - the third keeper to be used by North End.

In the 75th minute, Robinson got underneath a Garner cross and looped a close-range header too high.

Within 90 seconds, PNE doubled their advantage, Doyle finding space in the box to slot home a finish.

Late pressure from Brig brought the reward of a goal, substitute Churchman finishing superbly from 20 yards with a drilled finish into the bottom corner which gave Mat Hudson no chance.

Garner could have restored Preston's two-goal cushion in the 90th minute when Adam Robinson's fine ball put him clear down the left channel.

But he elected to shoot early as a defender came across to cover and sliced his effort wide.

Bamber Bridge: Burgess, Bowyer, Lawlor, Heaton, Hunter, Waddecarr, Steel, Vasey, Marlow, Dodd, Linney. Subs: Churchman, Wicks, Williams, Ing, Critchley, Thompson, Moss, Goodwin.

PNE (first half): Lindegaard (Hudson 30), Humphrey (Grimshaw 30), Clarke, Wright (Woods 30), Spurr, Gallagher, Browne (Welsh 30), Pringle, Johnson, Makienok, Hugill.

PNE (second half): Maxwell (Hudson 80), Grimshaw (Smith 68), Huntington, Woods (Davies 68), Cunningham, Pearson, Welsh (A Robinson 68), C Robinson, Beckford, Doyle, Garner.

Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Preston)

Attendance: 1,836