PNE retro: Victory for Preston North End at Scarborough under John Beck in August 1993
Preston North End were involved in a seven-goal thriller in the Scarborough sunshine and put their first victory of the 1993/94 season on the board.
Two goals each from Tony Ellis and Gareth Ainsworth helped PNE to a 4-3 win, but really they should not have allowed their hosts to get close to them.
They led 2-0 and 4-1 in the McCain Stadium clash, but allowed Scarborough to get a foothold in the game.
Once the home side got back to 4-3, John Beck’s men really did have to hang on for the three points.
Having lost on the opening day of the season to Crewe and then to Burnley in the League Cup, three points on the North Yorkshire coast was just the tonic for North End, who had been relegated three months earlier.
The game was watched by a crowd of 2,329, many of them PNE fans squashed in the away end.
They certainly got value for money, there hardly being a pause in the action all afternoon.
PNE gave a debut to Paul Masefield at right-back, while another new signing, Mike Conroy, was named on the bench.
Beck’s men went 1-0 up in the 13th minute, Ainsworth getting on the ball on the right and sending over a cross which found Paul Raynor in the box.
Raynor unselfishly squared the ball into the path of Ellis, who drove a powerful finish past Scarborough keeper Mark Evans.
In North End’s next attack, Mickey Norbury hit the post with a shot.
They doubled the lead in the 28th minute, the goal straight out of Beck’s coaching manuel.
Keeper Kelham O’Hanlon launched a goalkick out to the left wing, which Norbury headed on.
Raynor chased it down the flank, went past his marker and crossed to the far post where Ainsworth climbed to loop a header back over Evans into the net.
Scarborough halved the deficit seven minutes before the interval, Stuart Young’s shot beating O’Hanlon and going in off the foot of the post.
PNE looked home and hosed when they struck twice soon after half-time.
With 48 minutes gone, Ellis got possession on the left-wing and set off on a run towards the box which took him past three tackles and an attempt to grab his shirt.
Steadying himself, Ellis then found the far corner of the net with a fine finish.
Four minutes later it was 4-1, Ainsworth finding the net with a header from a Raynor cross.
Scarborough pulled a goal back in the 57th minute, Darren Knowles scoring after O’Hanlon had parried a shot from Steve Charles.
PNE got nervous, a shot from Charles hitting Gavin Nebbelling's foot and bouncing up against his hand.
Referee Richard Poulain gave a penalty and Charles pulled it back to 4-3.
North End held out against late pressure but about saw the job through.
PNE: O’Hanlon, Masefield, Nebelling, Kidd, Sulley, Ainsworth, Cartwright, Whalley, Raynor, Ellis, Norbury (Conroy 61). Subs (not used): Matthewson, Bamber.