Memory match: Preston North End beat Brentford 3-1 at Griffin Park

All was well with the world when Preston North End beat Brentford 3-1 at Griffin Park in September 2011.
Preston strikers Neil Mellor and Jamie Proctor celebrate Mellor finding the net against Brentford at Griffin Park in September 2011Preston strikers Neil Mellor and Jamie Proctor celebrate Mellor finding the net against Brentford at Griffin Park in September 2011
Preston strikers Neil Mellor and Jamie Proctor celebrate Mellor finding the net against Brentford at Griffin Park in September 2011

Two Neil Mellor goals and an Iain Hume thunderbolt delivered victory in London, their first on Bees’ territory since 1988.

It was a sixth win on the bounce for Phil Brown’s side in what was a strong start to life in League One after being relegated four months before.

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Two more league victories followed before a promising autumn turned into a winter of discontent.

North End went 10 league games without a win and also exited the FA Cup.

Brown had got his P45 by mid-December and a month later Graham Westley was at the helm.

But back to happier times at Griffin Park and North End gave their sizeable travelling support an enjoyable day out in the capital.

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Brentford were expected to provide PNE’s biggest test to date of the season but in truth they had little answer to the visitors’ strong show.

Having rung the changes for a midweek League Cup win at Charlton, Brown had reverted closely to the team which had beaten Yeovil in the last league outing.

However, he stuck with Andreas Arestidou between the posts due to an injury to first choice Iain Turner.

Preston started strongly, Barry Nicholson getting on the end of a Paul Parry cross and forcing a good save from Bees keeper Richard Lee.

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Hume followed up and saw the rebound blocked by Lee, then Mellor hammered a third attempt over the bar.

North End took the lead in the 10th minute with a simple back-to-front goal.

Arestidou’s goalkick was headed on by Jamie Proctor, allowing Mellor to dart behind the home defence, shrug off Karleigh Osbourne’s challenge and shoot low past Lee from 12 yards.

It was a rather short-lived advantage though, Brentford levelling 11 minutes later.

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Myles Weston sped down the right wing and put over a low cross which Niall McGinn swept into the roof of the net.

Preston re-grouped and were back in front just after the half-hour mark.

Conor McLaughlin played a ball down the right channel which Proctor met, jumping to flick on into Hume’s path.

Hume looked as though he was going to cross the ball but instead let fly with a fierce right-foot shot which flew into the net.

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Early in the second half, a shot from Mellor hit the foot off the post after Proctor had flicked on a free-kick from Graham Alexander.

Paul Coutts, a lively figure in midfield throughout, saw a shot clear the bar by inches.

North End made sure of the three points with a third goal in the 72nd minute.

Nicholson’s free-kick deep to the far post was headed back across goal by Clarke Carlisle.

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It fell to Mellor who met it on the volley from 10 yards and made no mistake.

Brentford had no answer in terms of finding a way back into the game.

And it was the PNE fans who headed to the pubs on the corners of Griffin Park to celebrate with a pint or two at the final whistle.

North End manager Brown said: “The really big test for us is to keep this run going.

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“When you learn to win a game of football, to win the next one is the important thing.

“I’m told 1999 was the last time this club had six wins on the bounce, so it’s nice to have achieved that.

“It gives us a reference point for the season and sets the standard.”