Preston North End pip Wrexham to Youth Alliance League title as double secured

Preston North End Under 19s won the Youth Alliance League on the final day of the season, after beating Walsall 1-0 at Springfields.

The youngsters started Saturday morning in second spot, knowing they had to beat the Saddlers to give themselves any chance of lifting the trophy. Wrexham were the league leaders, on 55 points, but fell to a 2-1 defeat against Stockport County. And Troy Tarry’s 33rd minute strike, from close range, was enough for Preston to take all three points.

North End therefore finished on 56 points from 26 games - finishing above Wrexham by one point and two points clear of Bolton Wanderers and Morecambe. PNE won 18 matches over the course of the campaign, drawing two and losing six. They scored 75 goals and conceded 49, with their goal difference of +26 the third best out of 14 teams.

In match 26, young pros Kian Taylor and Kitt Nelson featured for Preston - with some first years allowed to play in the Youth Alliance League. The title swoop was the U19s second success of the season, having beaten Portsmouth away from home - in the Youth Alliance Cup final last month. Also in Preston’s league were the likes of Blackpool, Salford City, Accrington Stanley and Oldham.

PNE starting XI: Davis; Brindle, McGhee, Wilkinson, Tarry (Garrigan 88’), Taylor, Kamara, Pasiek, Wilson (c), Nelson (Gairns 64’), Carroll. PNE unused subs: Stowell, Critchley, Goldsmith.