Retro match: Neil Mellor and Richard Chaplow star in Preston North End victory at Leicester City in 2009

Leicester City 1 PNE 2Goals from Neil Mellor and Richard Chaplow fired Preston to victory against Leicester City.
Richard Chaplow made it 2-0 to North EndRichard Chaplow made it 2-0 to North End
Richard Chaplow made it 2-0 to North End

In doing so, PNE became the first side to win at the Walkers Stadium in over a year.

Mellor struck three minutes before the interval, shooting home a cross from Billy Jones. Then the striker turned provider in the 66th minute, breaking from his own half to set up Chaplow.

Bruno Berner’s 90th-minute goal meant a nervous finish.

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It was the second away win of the campaign and one which Alan Irvine’s men deserved for an impressive all-round display.

Early on, Richie Wellens fired high over the bar while Dany N’Guessan headed into Andrew Lonergan’s gloves.

The pace started to pick up, with North End creating their first chance when Mellor and Billy Jones combined superbly on the right. Jones’ low cross picked out Richard Chaplow in the middle but the midfielder lost his balance as he shot, the ball ballooning over the bar.

A couple of minutes later, Chaplow broke away down the left but hesitated releasing his cross to the unmarked Ross Wallace in the box.

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Matty Fryatt curled a shot beyond the far post for the Foxes in the 19th minute, before PNE went close shortly afterwards.

Mellor’s cross from near the left corner flag found Chris Brown in the middle, his header looking destined for the top corner until Chris Weale dived across to save.

Foxes skipper Matt Oakley volleyed over, then on the half-hour mark, Oakley broke clear into the box, his shot blocked by Lonergan.

The ball rebounded into the path of former PNE loan player Paul Gallagher who looped a header on to the top of the net.

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Fryatt then intercepted Chaplow’s intended pass to Veliche Shumulikoski, but lifted his shot over the bar.

North End took the lead three minutes before half-time, Jones the provider, Mellor the scorer. Chaplow’s pass found Jones on the right of the box, he tricked his way past a couple of challenges before squaring to Mellor who tucked away a low shot from 14 yards.

Five minutes into the second half, Fryatt fired over the top.

Eddie Nolan then saw a low shot saved by the diving Weale.

Just past the hour, Chris Sedgwick’s right-wing cross was met by Chaplow but his header looped over the bar.

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North End made it 2-0 in the 66th minute with a great goal on the counter-attack.

It started with Nolan clearing a Foxes corner out of the box, Mellor picking up possession deep in his own half. He burst forward down the inside-left channel and got into the box before slipping a pass into the path of Chaplow who slid a shot under Weale.

With 15 minutes left, Lonergan pulled off a fine save from Fryatt, substitute Martyn Waghorn then poking wide as he was challenged by Liam Chilvers.

Leicester pulled one back in the 90th minute, Berner firing home after Lonergan had blocked a powerful shot from Gallagher.