Memory match: Preston North End's dramatic 4-3 victory over Stoke City in August 2002

A game with plenty of twists and turns gave Craig Brown is first win in English football having taken the PNE job that summer.

Brown’s celebrations went no further than having a much-needed sit down.

Although pleased to have taken three points, the Scot knew victory had been a close-run thing.

North End looked to be in cruise control as they took a 3-1 lead with half an hour left.

The Potters pulled it back to 3-3 though, their equaliser coming in the fourth minute of stoppage-time.

Somehow the Lilywhites found time to snatch a winner with the clock showing 95 minutes, Richard Cresswell the last-gasp hero.

Brown summed things up nicely once he had collected his thoughts. The former Scotland manager said: “It was great entertainment for the fans, but not if you are the coach.”

This was a game you could not take your eyes off, with action from start to finish.

Stoke struck the first blow, taking the lead in the seventh minute with a twice-taken penalty.

Kris Commons was tripped by Chris Lucketti, which saw referee Graham Frankland award the first of three spot-kicks that afternoon.

Clive Clarke tucked the penalty away past keeper Tepi Molianen but was ordered to retake it.

Clarke found the net the second time, again sending Moilanen the wrong way.

Within two minutes, Mr Frankland gave a penalty at the other end for a foul on Cresswell by Peter Handyside.

The chance to pull level was missed though, the normally reliable Graham Alexander firing wide.

North End did equalise in the 12th minute, Ricardo Fuller winning a free-kick.

Rob Edwards delivered it into the box where David Healy met it at the near post and flicked a header across goal into the far corner.

That gave the home side the impetus to take the game by the scruff of the net and they soon led 2-1.

Paul McKenna won a bone-shuddering 50/50 tackle with Sergei Shtaniuk, the ball breaking to Fuller who worked it forward with Cresswell.

When Wayne Thomas put in a tackle, it broke into the path of Healy who darted in to flick the ball past the keeper.

Fuller and Lucketti both sent headers against the bar before North End made it 3-1 in the 60th minute.

Moilanen’s goalkick was won in the air by Shtaniuk but he headed it straight down into Fuller’s path.

Fuller set off a run which took him past three defenders before stabbing a shot past the keeper.

Home and hosed? Far from it. Dickson Etuhu handled in the box to see Stoke given their second penalty, Clarke again finding the back of the net.

The visitors’ equaliser came in stoppage time, Andy Cooke left unmarked in the six-yard box to meet a corner from Commons and head home.

Preston were not done, though, one last attack seeing them snatch victory with the referee checking his watch.

Substitute Michael Keane dropped a superb cross-field pass over the Stoke defence to find the run of Cresswell.

The striker ran clear towards the box, took the ball around keeper Neil Cutler and then rolled a finish into the unguarded net to send the home faithful wild.