Memory match: PNE v Ipswich, February 2009

The Lilywhites scored with three of the five efforts they had on goal.

That was in contrast to the visitors who registered 10 shots on target and netted only two of them.

Victory moved North End up to fourth in the table and left them well placed for a strong run at the play-offs.

However a stutter over the next seven games in which they won only once, meant it needed a late upturn in form to make the top six.

PNE were never behind in this clash, Callum Davidson giving them the lead with an early penalty.

Tommy Miller equalised for Ipswich, then Jon Parkin restored the advantage just before half-time.

Stephen Elliott made it 3-1 but another Miller goal made Preston sweat for the win.

In a late spell of pressure the Suffolk side hit the post, so the final whistle came as a big relief.

North End had drawn first blood when they went ahead in the sixth minute.

Simon Whaley’s clever pass found Elliott down the right-hand side of the box, Alex Bruce dragging him to the floor.

Referee Steve Tanner gave a penalty after consulting his linesman.

Davidson hit the penalty low and hard into the bottom corner, keeper Richard Wright getting a glove to it but unable to stop it going in.

Both sides had chances as the game opened up, Whaley firing over the bar for North End after Paul McKenna had rolled a free-kick to him.

Ipswich levelled after 31 minutes, when former PNE loan man Miller scored.

The ball was played in from the left, there was a suggestion of handball as the midfielder knocked it down before clipping a shot past Andrew Lonergan.

Parkin restored Preston’s lead four minutes before the interval.

McKenna played a hopeful ball down the middle, with the Ipswich defence hesitating, thinking Wright was coming to claim it.

Parkin went steaming in and got his head to it before Wright could punch and he was turning away to celebrate before the ball had rolled over the line.

Ipswich went straight at North End at the start of the second half and after Eddie Nolan – on for the injured Sean St Ledger – had very nearly headed into his own net, Lonergan had to fling himself across to palm a shot behind from Pim Balkestein.

After being put under a spell of pressure, North End went further in front after 61 minutes.

Ross Wallace curled a right-wing corner to the far post and Elliott clipped it into the roof of the net.

Two minutes later it was 3-2 and that man Miller bagged his second, curling a harshly-awarded free-kick from the edge of the box past Lonergan’s outstretched left glove.

Moments after that, PNE should have had a penalty, but Mr Tanner refused their appeals after Elliott had been dragged down on the edge of the six-yard box by Bruce.

Lonergan pulled off a smart save to deny Lisbie 
after the striker had broken through on goal.

Then Lisbie wriggled through on the left of goal to hammer a shot against the foot of the post.

There were some nervous moments for PNE as they tried to hang on to their lead, Lonergan hurling himself across to fingertip Lisbie’s overhead kick behind for a corner.