Bury 1 Preston North End 3

CHRISTMAS came early for high-flying Preston as the suicidal Shakers gifted them three valuable points in this hard-fought Lancashire derby.

Playing with the confidence born of a 12 game unbeaten run North End were always going to be a tough nut to crack, so to tackle them with only 10 men for two thirds of the match was hardly the ideal game plan for Neil Warnock's men.

Nevertheless that was the scenario after Darren Bullock was red carded for a second bookable office midway through the first half.

By that time the Shakers were already a goal down after former Gigg Lane favourite Michael Jackson powered home a Graham Alexander corner at the far post after 24 minutes.

It was deserved reward for David Moyes' men who looked a quality side with Sean Gregan influential in the centre of the park and David Eyres and Lee Cartwright constant menaces on the flanks. Unbeaten on their travels all season, North End, cheered on by 3,000 travelling fans, stormed forward at every opportunity and almost took the lead a minute earlier than they did when full-back Rob Edwards tried an audacious chip from 35 yards that Paddy Kenny acrobatically tipped over his bar for a corner.

It was from the subsequent flag kick that Jackson opened the scoring but that chance apart Bury's defence held firm throughout the first period.

But Bullock's dismissal was, without doubt, the turning point in the match.

He was booked for a rash challenge on midfielder Mark Rankine after 12 minutes and then referee John Brandwood had no hesitation in brandishing a second yellow card when the Bury man left Alexander poleaxed in an incident following a corner kick.

Warnock, to the home crowd's dismay, immediately sacrificed Paul Barnes for Danny Swailes to bolster the midfield with Adrian Littlejohn moving to a more central striking role with Ian Lawson.

A further tactical substitution saw winger Lutel James replace defender Steve Redmond after half time and eight minutes after the restart the diminutive flank man was unlucky when his powerful snap shot from 25 yard was fisted to safety by Preston 'keeper Teuvo Moilanen.

But the visitors doubled their tally three minutes later as the Bury defence failed to clear when Eyres' corner kick caused panic in the box and the ball broke to skipper Gregan who lashed it into the roof of Kenny's goal. At that point the clever money would have been on Preston running up a four or five goal win but the spirited Shakers bounced back and reduced the deficit in fine style.

Shakers players and fans alike felt hard done to when Littlejohn went to ground just outside the box but referee Brandwood waved play on and just as well because when Lawson picked up the loose ball he turned swiftly and lashed an unstoppable left-foot effort into the top corner of Moilanen's net.

The goal brought the Shakers fans to life and for the first time in the game North End looked vulnerable.

But Bury pressed the self-destruct button once more after 71 minutes when the visitors restored their two-goal advantage in bizarre fashion.

There seemed little danger when Chris Swailes casually played a loose ball back to Kenny but with Jonathan Macken racing in to challenge the Bury 'keeper made a wrong decision in trying to flick the ball up to volley away and his clearance cannoned off the North End leading scorer and rocketed into the empty net.

The goal just about summed up the day for the home side who must lift themselves for tonight's crucial FA Cup second round replay at Cardiff.

"It was going to be a tough match with eleven on the field never mind ten," said Warnock.

"I though we were very positive when we changed things round at half time and when we scored I really felt we were in with a chance, but as a manager you just can't legislate for goals like Preston's third."

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