Match report: Bolton 1 PNE 3

Sean Maguire was at the heart of the comeback, the substitute scoring twice in his first game for four months after hamstring surgery.

His double, which came on the back of Tom Barkhuizen's equaliser, sparked jubilant scenes among the 3,947 North End supporters - many clad in bowler hats as they staged their annual act of remembrance.

PNE had fallen behind in the 12th minute when Mark Beevers netted from close range after a Dorian Dervite header from a corner had been blocked.

Before and after Bolton's opener, the visitors had been the better side and they stepped on the gas in the second half to roar back to take the points.

Barkhuizen levelled matters in the 53rd minute, running clear on to a fine pass from Callum Robinson.

It was Robinson who set-up Maguire for the second goal with 13 minutes left, the Irishman hitting his second and PNE's third in stoppage-time.

The win - Preston's first for a month - kept them in touch with the play-off chasing pack.

North End boss Alex Neil had made just the one change from the side beaten by Ipswich the week before, Paul Gallagher replacing Louis Moult as North End reverted to a 4-2-3-1 system.

The visitors bossed the early play, Ben Pearson having a shot in the first minute while Billy Bodin burst into the box from Gallagher's pass but after having to get the ball out of his feet, his shot was too close to keeper Ben Alnwick who pushed it behind

Gallagher's chipped ball into the box found Bodin whose glancing header was saved by Alnwick diving to his left.

But for all that possession, North End found themselves behind in the 12th minute.

A Fllipe Morais corner from the left found Dervite, his effort was blocked in the six-yard box but the rebound fell to Beevers who poked the ball into the net.

Soon after, Cunningham kicked the ball off the line after another corner had caused problems in the Preston box.

North End responded and went on to boss much of the first but frustratingly could not make that count.

Barkhuizen's low cross was put wide of the near post by Robinson, before their best chance of the half arrived in the 21st minute.

It came out of some fine work from Barkhuizen, the winger powering forward down the inside left channel, exchanging passes with Robinson, before taking the return box and hitting a shot which Alnwick reached up to tip over the bar.

North End started the second half well and less than eight minutes in were back on level terms.

They battled for possession inside their own half, Bodin winning possession in the centre-circle and feeding the ball to Robinson who carried it forward into Bolton territory.

Barkhuizen made a run to the outside of him, Robinson timing the pass perfectly to play him in past Morais - Barkhuizen running into the box, opening out his body and sliding a right-foot shot past Alnwick.

Soon after, Robinson volleyed first-time over the bar as Preston looked to build on their momentum.

Maguire arrived in the 65th minute, replacing Bodin - he played up front with Robinson moving out to the left-wing.

That change was followed by Josh Harrop coming on for Calum Woods, that switch seeing Alan Browne go to right-back.

The away end erupted in the 77th minute as Maguire put North End in front.

Harrop's pass played Robinson into space down the left channel, Robinson sprinting into the box and crossing low to the near post where Maguire slid in to knock it over the line via the inside of the post from three yards.

North End weren't finished, their third goal coming in the second minute of stoppage-time.

Harrop won ball and played it to Barkhuizen on the outside of him, Barkhuizen beating his man and slipping it back to Harrop.

The substitute squared a fine pass into the path of Maguire who from six yards had the simple task of picking his spot past the keeper.

Bolton: Alnwick, Dervite, Wheater, Beevers, Morais, Vela, Karacan (Kirchhoff 64), Pratley, Robinson, Walker (Le Fondre 64), Ameobi. Subs (not used): Taylor, Wilbraham, Burke, Clough, Howard.

PNE: Rudd, Woods (Harrop 69), Huntington, Davies, Cunningham, Pearson, Gallagher (Earl 89), Bodin (Maguire 65), Browne, Barkhuizen, Robinson. Subs (not used): Johnson, Spurr, Moult, Maxwell.

Referee: Peter Bankes (Merseyside)

Attendance: 18,141 (3,947 PNE)