PRESTON North End manager David Moyes has ripped into Wycombe's players, accusing them of systematically trying to get PNE skipper Sean Gregan sent off.

If that is the case, then the Wanderers did a good job, with Gregan picking up his first red card of the season on the stroke of half time for an alleged elbow offence.

Moyes claims Gregan has become a victim of his own success, with players trying to get him sent off, such is his influence on any game.

Moyes said: "There were two incidents in the first half where Ryan Kidd was elbowed in the face and Michael Appleton took a knock to the face.

"Both went down and received treatment.

"Then Sean Gregan was involved in a similar incident.

"The difference was that our players didn't make a meal of it and didn't run around trying to get someone sent off, as the Wycombe players did. "They meant to get him sent off, because he is such an influence in our side.

"They'd do anything to get him sent off, and from Wycombe's point of view, it worked."

But Preston won't be appealing against the decision, which will see Gregan miss three games - Chesterfield (Sept 4), Burnley (Sept 11) and the next round of the Worthington Cup on Sept 15.

Moyes added: "We looked at the video immediately and I think it looks worse than it actually is.

"I think it merited a booking, but not a sending off."

Moyes will be keen to put last weekend's dramas behind him ahead of the first local derby of the season at Deepdale - against bookies' favourite Wigan Athletic.

They will provide possibly the toughest test to PNE's unbeaten league record to date and will be hard to get past.

However, Preston have a near-full strength squad to choose from, with Steve Basham and Rob Edwards returning to the frame, while Michael Jackson will be fit after sustaining an injury to his eye during Saturday's 1-1 game.

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