Memory Match: Four-star show from Preston North End against Rotherham United in September 2003

Goals from Richard Cresswell, Ricardo Fuller, Graham Alexander and Brian O’Neil delivered a 4-1 victory for Craig Brown’s men.

It was Alexander’s strike from the penalty spot which upset the Millers and where PNE might have had a bit of good fortune.

The contest was finely balanced at 2-1 when, in the 64th minute, Cresswell went down in the box under the challenge of Shaun Barker.

Referee Graham Laws pointed to the spot and pulled out the red card for Barker despite strong protests from the visitors that he had got the ball first.

Alexander made it 3-1 from the spot and North End were almost home and hosed, a fourth goal from O’Neil finishing the job.

It was the second time in four days that Brown’s men had scored four, having beaten Coventry 4-2.

North End took just 11 minutes to take the lead in this one, Michael Keane’s fine through ball slicing open the Millers defence.

Cresswell timed his run well to stay onside, running clear and firing a show low past Rotherham goalkeeper Mike Pollitt – he is now PNE’s keeper coach.

It was Pollitt who stopped his side falling further behind with 25 minutes played.

Fuller’s footwork and swerve of the body took him past Chris Swailes, his powerful shot from inside the box tipped over by Pollitt.

A spell of pressure in the few minutes before half-time pulled Rotherham level.

Preston did not heed a warning when a misplaced Michael Jackson header was fired just wide by Barker.

When a 45th-minute corner was cleared out of the box, Carl Robinson returned a shot goalwards which North End keeper Jonathan Gould had covered.

At the last moment, though, ex-PNE loan striker Darren Byfield darted in to divert the ball past Gould.

Byfield went close again in the early exchanges of the second half, PNE appearing to learn from that and pushed on in search of a second goal.

That arrived in the 55th minute from Fuller.

Keane was in the thick of it again, his shot parried by Pollitt. Fuller was first to the rebound to the right of goal and from quite a tight angle found the roof of the net with a great finish.

Rotherham had a decent spell of pressure but then came the penalty which

put the Lilywhites 3-1 ahead.

Cresswell hit the deck under a challenge from Barker as he chased a pass into the box, Mr Laws pointing to the spot before sending Barker off.

Byfield was booked for taking his protests too far and once things have calmed down, Alexander stroked the penalty home.

North End toyed with the visitors’ 10 men, keeping possession well and when the space opened up, pushed towards the box.

They scored their fourth goal in the 73rd minute, Alexander chipping a pass over the Rotherham defence for midfielder O’Neil to volley into the net.

But for Pollitt, North End could have gone on to score five or six.

The keeper made excellent saves from Fuller and Alexander as PNE pushed forward.

Thanks for reading. If you value what we do and are able to support us, a digital subscription is just £1 per month for the first two months. Try us today by clicking here