PRESTON new boy Chris Lucketti may displace his former Bury team-mate Michael Jackson as he goes straight into the side which will make the trip to Grimsby.

North End boss David Moyes bought central defender Lucketti for £750,000 and the 29-year-old looks likely to team up with Northern Ireland international Colin Murdock in the heart of the Preston defence.

This could leave Jackson - who was with Lucketti under Burnley boss Stan Ternent at Gigg Lane - on the bench as North End look to kick start their season at Grimsby.

It has been a poor opening for Preston with a 5-0 thrashing by Gillingham followed by a 1-1 draw with Walsall and they trailed Third Division Kidderminster 2-0 in the Worthington Cup in midweek before Jackson scored the winner in extra time.

It means Preston have conceded eight goals in three games - and Lucketti has been brought to tighten up the defence.

"That has been one of our major worries and that is one reason why Chris has been introduced," admitted Moyes.

But Blundell Park has had happy memories for North End.

It was where it all began for Preston last year - a 2-1 victory the opening to a glorious season which ended with North End challenging for the Premiership at Cardiff.

And Moyes will be hoping the trip there, followed by a visit of Wimbledon to Deepdale on Monday, will now kick start another good season.

"It was good last year, we went down there and came away with a result although saying that they beat us at our place later on in the season.

"They have had a good start. They are unbeaten in the league and will be confident.

"We are a bit of a way off where we want to be at the moment and we are going to have to play well to get a result. But that is the story everywhere in the First Division."

Moyes admitted a first victory of the season over Kidderminster was more a relief than a confidence boost.

"To come back from 2-0 down in any game shows the lads rolled their sleeves up and they created chances where we could of got four or five on another night.

"In the end the result was a relief after our first half performance.

"We set ourselves high standards here and we managed to turn it around."

Moyes was also pleased with the performance of teenager Michael Keane who could start at Grimsby.

He is a midfield battler and his introduction helped to launch the fightback.

"Michael is so enthusiastic and he has a great attitude. He is what most teams in the country want and we have high hopes for him. But he is only young and he hasn't got the experience yet.

"That will come with playing games and it is just a case of playing him at the right times and leaving him out when we feel he needs it. We have got to be careful."