DAVID Healy cooked up a first half treat against Delia Smith's Canaries, setting up three goals which really cut the mustard!

The former Manchester United youngster's efforts were matched by every other white-clad player in what was by far their best performance of the season.

Missing skipper Sean gregan and defensive rock Colin Murdock, and playing a side who beat Burnley at the weekend to take second place in the league, a victory for an inconsistent Preston side looked, on paper at least, a tall order.

But no sooner had the referee's opening whistle drifted in the misty Lancashire night than Preston found themselves awarded a penalty.

Craig Fleming brought down temporary skipper Mark Rankine inside the area. Alexander converted from the spot without thinking twice.

The goal seemed to stun Norwich. Their play was shaky, they struggled to win the ball and were generally all over the place. From keeper Robert Green to the men up front, nothing was going right for the Norfolk boys.

They were much clumsier and so much slower than North End, who were excellently marshalled by Rankine and Paul McKenna, who is so better suited to a central role than out on the wing.

The second goal came on 14 minutes. Healy tackled Fleming for the ball, played it to Jon Macken who blistered it into the top right hand corner of the net.

Iain Anderson and McKenna both had chanced to make it 3-0 before Norwich finally had a chance of their own. On 25 minutes, Darren Kenton sent the ball over the top of Tepi Moilanen's goal. He could have taken the first half off, so little was he troubled.

McKenna was unlucky not to score after running half the pitch with ball, jigging through Norwich's shambles of a midfield and their poor defence before shooting wide.

On 33 minutes, Rob Edwards headed home Healy's cross before the number 11 set up Macken two minutes into injury time.

The wantaway striker rifled it into the top corner to leave Norwich - and the home fans - mesmorized.

For two players rumoured not to talk to each other, communication on the field didn't seem a problem!

The second half, not surprisingly, didn't live up to the first period.

PNE slipped down a gear and let Norwich into the game - but they never looked likely to score one goal, let alone four!

Norwich clutched at the odd long range effort and tried their luck at set pieces but to no avail.

Michael Jackson, in for Murdock, coupled well with Chris Lucketti and Edwards to protect Tepi, and on the few occasions they were found wanting, the tall Finn had no problem looking after himself.

Steen Nedergaard had the best chance for Norwich, forcing Tepi to pull of a decent save.

Edwards could have made it 5-0, as could sub Richard Cresswell, who was only denied by an awkward bounce off the inside post.

While other games may have produced whiffs off last season's hotpot of delights, tonight's game indicated the kitchen door can be fully opened - and what a sight the North End faithful savoured!

RESULT:

PNE 4

(Alexander, Macken (2), Edwards)

NORWICH 0

TEAMS:

PNE: Moilanen, alexander, Edwards, Jackson, Lucketti, Rankine, Anderson, McKenna, Macken, Healy, Cartwright. Subs: Lucas, McKinlay, Barry-Murphy, Kidd, Cresswell

NORWICH: Green, McGovern, Drury, Fleming, holt, Roberts, Russell, Kenton, Nedergaard, McVeigh, Libbra. Subs: Crichton, Notman, Sutch, Ehston, Rivers.