Preston North End’s hat-trick hero settles an entertaining Central League Cup match

Preston North End came out on the right side of a seven-goal thriller as they beat Wigan Athletic 4-3 in their Central League Cup game, writes JOHN SMITH.

Wigan had been 3-2 in front until two late goals from Michael Ayodele, which completed his hat-trick and secured a win which PNE’s battling performance thoroughly deserved.

A blistering start meant the first two minutes were more akin to something seen on a basketball court.

The Latics kicked off, played the ball back and then out to the right wing, where a low cross into the box was fired in by Cole Simms with just 26 seconds on the clock.

Amazingly, North End scored on their first attack 80 seconds later as Troy Tarry crossed for George Gryba to beat the defender and fire past keeper Matteo Spinelli with aplomb.

Gryba almost added a second shortly afterwards, but his shot was deflected over the bar after good work from Shay Reid.

Tarry and Ed Nolan formed a good partnership which troubled the Wigan defence and they combined again to give PNE a 25th-minute lead.

Nolan’s cross was not dealt with and when the loose ball ran through to Ayodele, he lifted it over the grounded keeper and into the roof of the net.

Charlie Whalley forced Spinelli into a diving save before the Latics levelled.

PNE keeper Nuri Latham turned a shot around the post but, from the resulting corner, Zack Edwards rose highest to head into the top corner.

Wigan then retook the lead as Erdis Reci ran from the halfway line before drilling in a low cross which Simms tapped in at the back post.

They looked to be in the ascendancy as Latham made a smart stop and then denied Simms with his feet.

The game continued to ebb and flow with Reid seeing a shot saved and Ayodele shooting over twice from good positions.

However, PNE levelled in the 89th minute when Ayodele converted Tarry’s low cross from close range.

He then bagged a second hat-trick in 11 days, scoring after Wigan’s defence had failed to clear a free-kick.

PNE: Latham, Nolan, Snowball, Stringfellow, Lescott, Irwin, Tarry, Whalley, Gryba, Reid, Ayodele. Subs: Green, Swift, Longson, Tempest, Cameron.