A GLANCE at the 5-0 scoreline to Everton and you could be forgiven for thinking that this Monday night friendly (July 31) was a walkover for the "Toffees".

But it was never like that and had North End not pressed the self-destruct button with some poor defending in the first half, the score would have been a lot closer.

Everton got off to a flier, hitting Preston on the break after just five minutes as the impressive Joe Max-Moore got away from Alexander down the left and played in a fine low cross which Niclas Alexandersson had in the net in a flash.

Preston hit back and looked to have got an equaliser as Jon Macken beat Unsworth and Weir with a great turn to create space for a shot but his effort, which would have brought the house down had it gone in, went only inches wide with the goalkeeper no more than a spectator.

Then came the defensive lapses as a lucky rebound off Appleton set up Thomas Graveson and he floated the ball over Lucas for number two.

Again Preston went close to scoring as Graham Alexander's inch perfect corner kick found the dark head of Michael Jackson and his powerful header was only a foot wide of the post.

Everton hit a third on 23 minutes when Max-Moore again provided a perfect cross for Francis Jeffers to score as he pleased and then came a fine fourth from Niclas Alexandersson.

Thirty-five yards out, with no danger apparent, the Everton man looked up, saw that David Lucas was slightly off his line and, with a chip of which Tiger Woods would have been proud, he floated the ball over the Preston keeper and into the corner of the net for a splendid strike.

In the second half, Preston chased the game and Iain Anderson had a great chance to get the goal back before he shot high and wide of the target.

Still Preston kept up the pressure and Steve Robinson set up a shooting chance for Bjarki Gunnlaugsson but Paul Gerard got the fingertips of his white gloves to the ball to touch it around the post. Gunnlaugsson went close again with a thunderous shot that just cleared the crossbar, but then Everton struck again on the break.

Francis Jeffers was sent clear of a static back four and he gave Lucas no chance from the edge of the box.

Niclas Alexandersson was denied a hat-trick when that man Joe Max-Moore played a lovely ball back to him from the goal-line, Alexandersson hit in a powerful drive and as everyone expected the net behind David Lucas to bulge, the Preston keeper made a truly spectacular save to turn the ball over the crossbar. In the closing minutes, David Eyres hit a stunning volley from forty yards that beat Paul Gerard but it flew just over the crossbar.

Preston boss David Moyes said: "We were punished for some poor defending in the first half against a very good side.

"We had our chances to get back into the game when it was one nil and two nil but we then gave away bad goals. We were better in the second half and created some good chances."

On a night of torrential rain, 13,331 packed into Deepdale and another big crowd is expected on Saturday for the visit of Athletic Bilbao of Spain.

Preston could not confirm yesterday (Wednesday, August 2) whether Sheffield Wednesday striker Richard Cresswell was on his way to North End.

An offer from the club had been accepted earlier in the week by the Yorkshire side but the England U21 striker was apparently not happy with the personal terms offered by Preston.

The England U21 striker was also in talks with his former boss's club, Bristol City over the weekend but North End still remain favourites to sign the player.

A spokesperson for Sheffield Wednesday said a decision was expected within the next two or three days.