BRISTOL ROVERS 0, PRESTON NORTH END 2

DEEPDALE will celebrate an Easter Parade this weekend as Preston North End put finishing touches to promotion to the First Division.

They can all but touch it now and the matches against Scunthorpe United and Cambridge United should see the Deepdale supporters with smiles as wide as the Ribble.

This was, arguably, North End's best performance of the season as they brushed aside Bristol Rovers' challenge for automatic promotion with a clinical performance that had both thtravelling fans and those watching the giant screen at Deepdale drooling.

The opening 20 minutes was something of a stalemate as neither side was prepared to take any risks and both defences were well on top.

Preston were inches away from a goal when Graham Alexander's powerful corner kick was headed on by Ian Anderson into the path of Michael Jackson at the far post, but his stabbed shot drifted past the post with Lee Jones well-beaten.

Then, four minutes before half time, the match exploded into action as Preston took the lead.

Bjarki Gunlaugsson showed some lovely, neat close control to release Paul McKenna into the box with a great through-ball.

McKenna took the ball on as Jones came to close him down and his low shot raced through the saturated goalmouth towards the net with the Preston fans on their feet ready to salute the goal.

The celebration was delayed as the ball smacked against the post and came back into play but there was Jon Macken to crash the ball into the net for his 25th goal of the season.

Rovers had to come back in the second half and they looked to have gone level on 55 minutes.

Mark Walters cut in along the goal-line on the right and delivered a powerful cross which went between Tepi Moilanen and the near post.

The ball struck the post and then stopped in the mud on the goal-line to set up frantic rush of players trying to reach it.

To the sheer relief of the North End supporters, Jackson got there first to scoop the ball to safety and in that moment, you felt that North End would get the points.

Preston wrapped up the match on 67 minutes when Macken found space on the left to deliver a fine cross which Michael Appleton allowed to run across his body intothe path of Gunnlaugsson and he had the ball behind Jones with a great strike.

North End took control as Mark Rankine and Appleton bossed the midfield, while behinf them, Jackson and Ryan Kidd snuffed out the Rovers attack.

Gunnlauggson and Macken went close to adding to Preston's tally as the North End supporters roared them on.

In the end, North End were just cruising, pushing the ball around the park with ease and looking like they could just step up a gear and score at any time.

The win leaves Preston eight points clear of Wigan Athletic and Millwall, not only for promotion, but for the Championship itself.

When the North End fans return to work after the Easter holiday, they may do so in the knowledge they may do so in the knowledge that they have to get down to the stationers to buy route maps to First Division grounds next season, while the cleaners at Deepdale will be ordering a supply of silver polish.

The champagne is on ice, the scarves, rattles, banners and rosettes are at the ready as the town of Preston gets ready to salute a proud, proud season.

After the match, Jon Macken said: "We played really well, deserved the points and now we are in touching distance of promotion."

Asked if he could reach his target of 30 goals for the season, he added: "I will be trying. I've got four games to get them and that would be really great."