Memory Match: PNE's Gentry Day win at Bolton in 2016

ALSO READ: Alex Neil ready for first Gentry Day at Bolton

The bowler hats were out in force when North End made the trip to the Macron Stadium two years ago, more than 4,400 away fans there to see a 2-1 victory.

It was a game they came from behind to win, Jordan Hugill and Eoin Doyle finding the net in the second half.

Those goals were in reply to Liam Trotter’s opener for the home side.

Victories and Gentry Day have not gone hand in hand for North End.

This was only the second time the team had won on the day of the fans’ annual act of remembrance.

The first victory had come on the first Gentry Day back in February 2005 at Queens Park Rangers.

But Gentry Day is a lot more than the actual game, the ‘day’ in the title is the clue.

A bright start from PNE in this one gave way to a poor first-half performance.

In a 3-5-2 system, they dropped off their hosts too much and gave Bolton room to play.

Wanderers went ahead in the 22nd minute, Zach Clough afforded too much room on the edge of the box to lay the ball off to Trotter, who steered a shot into the net from 20 yards.

North End’s best chance of the first half was a shot from Paul Gallagher which caught a deflection and went wide.

Simon Grayson changed approached at the interval, switching to a 4-3-3 system.

Having started up front, Callum Robinson moved to the left and gave North End some spark from that side of the pitch.

The equaliser came in the 57th minute and right in front of the away end.

It had its origins on the left, Greg Cunningham going on a strong run from the back.

Cunningham played the ball to Robinson who clipped a pass inside to find loanee Adam Reach.

With his back to goal on the side of the six-yard box, Reach hooked the ball over his shoulder into the middle where Hugill lunged among the boots to send a diving header goalwards.

Keeper Paul Rachubka got a hand to the header but could not stop it trickling over the line.

Hugill got a bang on the head from Dean Moxey’s boot in the process but the pain was well worth it as he joined in the celebrations.

Play swung from end to end for a time, Mark Davies forcing a routine save from Anders Lindegaard.

Gallagher’s drive at the other end was gathered by Rachubka.

As the clock ticked on, Grayson made a couple of substitutions with Marnick Vermijl and Doyle joining the action within six minutes of one another.

The pair combined to net Preston’s winner in the 86th minute.

Cunningham powered down the left and put too much on his cross which flew across the box and beyond the far post.

Vermijl did not see it as a lost cause though, volleying it back from a tight angle with Doyle’s touch taking it past the keeper at the near post.

The away end erupted in celebration as the ball hit the net, Bolton’s appeals that it was offside falling on deaf ears.

Those celebrations saw Robinson put on a bowler hat which had been thrown on to the pitch from the stand.

Doyle had the ball in the net again after meeting a cross from Vermijl but the flag went up for offside.

It mattered not, North End seeing out time in comfort.