Early strike sets the tone as PNE hit four at Bamber Bridge
North End got their pre season campaign off to a winning start with victory over Bamber Bridge at the Sir Tom Finney Stadium.
Paul Heckingbottom fielded two completely different sides for both halves, and goals from Milutin Osmajic, Jordan Storey, Lewis Gibson and Ben Whiteman gave them the win over a spirited home side who scored early through Emerich Poilly.
Osmajic gave North End the perfect start with a goal after just 70 seconds as he raced on to a long ball from record signing Alfie Devine, before producing a neat low finish.
The lead lasted just three minutes, however, as Jamie Milligan's side pulled level with their first attack of the game as Poilly hammered home the loose ball after Jamie Allen's shot was parried by Daniel Iversen.
Bamber Bridge then went on to test Iversen from long range with efforts from Harry Benns and Archie Lang before North End took control.
Callum Lang, making a welcome return after his long-term injury, looked a constant threat and went close on two occasions as he forced superb saves from the home keeper, who also did well to deny Osmajic a second.
North End made 11 changes at the break and they were soon ahead again as Storey headed home Whiteman's 49th-minute corner and from there the result never looked in doubt.
Brad Potts drilled an effort inches over before Lewis Gibson got on the end of another fine Whiteman set piece to head home from six yards out.
Storey had a great chance to make it 4-1 in the dying moment when he headed wide from close range but Whiteman rounded off proceedings with a fourth goal with the final kick of the game as he slotted home George Gryba's lay off from just outside the box.
BAMBER BRIDGE: Trialist, Churchman, Lang, Trialist, Knight-Percival, Baxter, Allen, Riley, Trialist, Poilly, Benns. PNE (first half): Iversen, Valentin, Lindsay, Devine, Lang, Small (rep Tarry 30), Thompson, Hughes, Moran, Offiah, Osmajic. Second half: Nicholls, Vukcevic, Whiteman, McCann, Storey, Gibson, Gryba, Nelson, Nolan, Wilson, Potts. Sub not used: Stowell.