Division Two: Preston North End 2 Oldham Athletic 0

IT WAS very much a case of lucky 14 for Preston both collectively and individually as they brushed aside improving Oldham at Deepdale.

The victory stretches North End's unbeaten run to 14 and two-goal hero Jon Macken now has precisely that number to his name this season.

But for the unbeaten achievements of Wigan Athletic, North End would be threatening to run away with the Second Division now after claiming their 12th league win at the expense of Andy Ritchie's battlers.

Macken broke Oldham's resolve on the hour when Kurt Nogan hit a post and he completed his double at the death picking up a pass from Bjarki Gunnlaugsson.

Manager David Moyes praised North End's commitment and while delighted for Macken said: "The way we play here means that it doesn't really matter who gets the goals."

Preston are now locked on 42 points at the head of the table and next week come up against Oldham again, this time in the FA Cup.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.