Retro game: Preston North End's five-goal romp against Wrexham in 1999

Michael Jackson heads Preston in front against Wrexham at the Racecourse Ground in January 1999

The performance from PNE at the Racecourse Ground was such that their hosts were lucky to escape with only shipping five.

In addition to hitting the back of the net five times, David Moyes’ men hit the bar, had a shot cleared off the line and saw a strong shout for a penalty turned down.

More than 2,500 Preston fans were in North Wales to see the win, the club’s biggest on the road since beating Sheffield United in 1954.

Preston striker Kurt Nogan scores against Wrexham

The game was effectively over as a contest after half an hour, the Lilywhites 3-0 up by then.

Michael Jackson, Kurt Nogan and Jonathan Macken fired the first-half goals, with David Eyres and Ryan Kidd scoring in the second.

North End had made the trip to Wrexham on the back of a midweek 3-1 defeat at Bournemouth.

It soon became clear they had got that long-distance loss out of the system, with Jackson putting them in front after only six minutes.

Jonathan Macken is congratulated by PNE team-mates Julian Darby, Sean Gregan and David Eyres

Eyres sent over a corner, Wrexham goalkeeper Mark Cartwright hesitated as he came to collect, and Jackson climbed in front of him to head into the roof of the net.

Nogan had a great chance to double the lead soon after, seizing on a poor back pass from Phil Hardy and taking it round Cartwright.

But with an empty goal at his mercy, Nogan dithered and a defender got back to tackle.

The striker soon made amends, scoring the second goal in the 14th minute.

David Eyres heads Preston's fourth goal at Wrexham

Loanee left-back Craig Harrison arrowed a ball down the wing to find Mark Rankine on the edge of the box.

Rankine laid it off into the path of Eyres, who delivered a cross to the far post.

Lee Cartwright headed it down into the path of Nogan, who hooked a shot into the net from six yards.

The third goal was a real cracker, Sean Gregan and then Rankine heading the ball on to pick-out Macken, who fired a left-footed volley into the top corner.

Ryan Kidd rounds-off Preston scoring in the 5-0 win against Wrexham in January 1999

Just before half-time, a corner from Eyres looked to be going straight in before it was headed off the line by Martyn Chalk.

PNE keeper David Lucas, who had been a spectator for much of the first half, made a fine save to push a shot from Karl Connolly past the post early in the second period.

Wrexham sent on former Liverpool and Wales striker Ian Rush as a substitute, but the legendary goal-getter couldn’t turn things around.

The goals continued to come at the other end, PNE making it 4-0 soon after the arrival of Rush.

Julian Darby delivered a free-kick into the box, which Eyres met with a bullet header into the net.

Rankine saw a claim for a penalty waved away, before the fifth goal came in the 90th minute, Kidd stooping to meet an Eyres corner and heading into the net.

PNE: Lucas, Darby, Kidd, Jackson, Harrison, Cartwright, Gregan (Ludden 89), Rankine, Eyres, Macken (Harris 80), Nogan (McKenna 80).

Attendance: 6,394