Ian Bryson and Andy Saville at the double in Preston North End's victory at Torquay in 1995

Two stunning finishes from Lilywhites skipper Ian Bryson and Andy Saville’s closer-range double delivered victory in the autumn sunshine on the English Riviera.

It was an 11th league game unbeaten for North End, a run which would keep going until January 1996.

PNE made the long trip knowing that some bad blood still existed between the clubs following their 1994 play-off meetings.

Torquay remained angry over a controversial incident 17 months earlier when Darren Moore and had been red-carded for aiming a punch at Paul Raynor.

That had helped swing the second leg in Preston’s favour and the rest was history.

The following season, the Gulls had beaten PNE twice in the league to exact some revenge but in this October 1995 meeting there was no chance of a repeat.

Raynor had departed the Lilywhites a few weeks before this game, leaving for Cambridge in a swap deal for Dean Barrick.

It took North End just seven minutes to sweep into the lead.

Bryson fed a pass to Steve Wilkinson out wide who controlled and knocked it back inside for Bryson.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Bryson left fly with a shot from fully 30 yards which flew past home keeper Ashley Bayes.

PNE centre-half David Moyes went close to doubling the lead with a header which forced Bayes into a fine save.

Wilkinson shot narrowly wide as the visitors piled the pressure on their hosts.

They made it 2-0 in the 22nd minute.

Graeme Atkinson played a short corner to Bryson who knocked it back to him.

Atkinson played over a low cross which bobbled in the goalmouth before Saville swept a shot into the net from close range.

North End were dominant and went on to score twice more in the second half as they turned the screw.

In the 63rd minute, Atkinson tapped a free-kick to Lee Cartwright and took the return pass.

Atkinson’s cross was pinpoint accurate and found Saville who headed home at the near post.

The best goal of the lot was the last and was worth waiting until the 86th minute for.

Again it started with an Atkinson set-piece.

After North End had been awarded a corner on the right, Atkinson hovered over the ball and looked like he would cross into the middle.

Instead he swung it out to Bryson stood 25 yards out.

Bryson caught it full on the volley and smashed a shot into the net beyond keeper Bayes.

It was the icing on the cake on a fantastic display, one which a big following from Preston thoroughly enjoyed – it certainly made the 600-mile round trip a joyful one.

PNE: Vaughan, Fensome, Moyes, Wilcox (Kidd), Barrick, Cartwright, Davey, Bryson, Atkinson (Kilbane), Wilkinson, Saville. Sub (not used): Richardson.

Attendance: 4,058