CHRISTMAS cracker, five-goal festive thriller ... the puns are plentiful.

But when all said and done, details of this game are strictly on a k-need to know basis.

And everyone needs to know about skipper Sean Gregan's ... knee!

For it was Gregan's knee which won the game for Preston - after David Healy's header was deflected by it and sent past keeper Michael Oakes to wrap up all three points for North End.

Gregan recently noted that people had begun pointing out he hadn't made the score sheet yet. His reply was to say that he was certain he would score - and he would make sure it was an important goal as well.

Whether has access to the same crystal ball as David Moyes isn't known, for the manager was also cannily accurate when he proclaimed after Saturday's dull affair against Grimsby that his side would play better against a big team like Wolves.

North End, in truth, seemed the better side from the start, but were once again guilty of letting good chances go to waste. Jon Macken was the main culprit in the opening minutes - perhaps making Dave Jones grateful that he didn't sign the player in September.

Macken rushed a 18 yard right-footed shot which, had it been more carefully executed, could have seen North End 1-0 on 13 minutes.

Instead, it was Wolves who took the lead on 18 minutes with one of the goals of the afternoon.

New signing Dean Sturridge, free on the right flank, spotted David Lucas off his line and chipped him beautifully from what was a relatively tight angle.

Paul McKenna, David Healy and Lee Cartwright all wasted chances while Gregan, who dropped back into the centre half role alongside Chris Lucketti, marshalled the defence well.

To use another cliche, whatever Moyes said at halftime worked. Within minutes of the restart North End scored.

Healy shot superbly as he turned some 20 yards out, with the ball eluding keeper Oakes to make it 1-1.

On 56 minutes, Iain Anderson took on Wolves' defence single-handedly before cutting inside to unleash an excellent curling shot which sent Preston into the lead.

Perhaps, by now, memories of Preston's poor performance against Wolves at Deepdale in September - complete with Lucas' attempted save which ended up being an assist for the winning goal - would have been forgotten.

Think again.

On 65 minutes, Gregan played the ball back to Lucas, who promptly kicked it back out ... into the body of Nathan Blaked.

The deflection whipped past Lucas and into his own net.

But North End weren't done - after their boss told them to stand up and be counted, that is exactly what they did.

It was only a matter of time before they got the winner - though how many times has that been said of late only for North End to waste chances.

These were three priceless points,keeping their promotion hopes alive and hopefully making Saturday's trip to Wimbledon all the more appetising.

Wolves 2 - 3 Preston North End