A STRONG Blackburn Rovers Reserves side routed neighbours Preston North End in the Pontin's Premier League at Ewood last night.

And, while Kevin Gallacher crowned his first game in three months with a glorious hat-trick, there were many other positive points to savour in a competitive game.

Rovers might be struggling at times for personnel at first-team llevel, but they fielded a reserve side which reflected the true strength in depth of the club.

It paid off with a team performance which secured the result it deserved.

Preston, with ex-Burnley defender Mark Winstanley at the back, battled throughout but couldn't cope with the extra class that Rovers had in reserve.

The game was up in the opening 10 minutes. Gallacher was greeted by being hacked down early on by Michael Appleton but responded in the best possible way.

Kevin Davies and Andy McAvoy both challenged for a long throw in the eighth minute and the ball fell for Gallacher to fire home a low shot from 10 yards.

Two minutes later, the Scot flung himself forward to glance home a diving header from Peter Murphy's excellent left-wing cross.

Preston's most prominent player Paul McGregor struck a post after a great run but Gallacher completed his superb hat-trick in the 43rd minute when he stabbed home from a Davies pass. McGregor pulled a good goal back for North End on the stroke of half-time but, after an hour, it was 4-1 when Leam Richardson's brilliant run saw him fouled by Grant Beckett and Lee Fitzpatrick scored from the penalty spot.

It was fitting that David Dunn, who got through so much work and made some terrific runs, should add the icing to the cake with a delightful shot for Rovers' fifth in stoppage time.

A good workout for several players, North End never gave up, but the quality of the Rovers side told in the end.

ROVERS: Flowers, Richardson, Taylor, Broomes, Murphy (sub Brown 82 mins), McAvoy, Dunn, Konde (sub D Dunning 69 mins), Fitzpatrick, Davies, Gallacher (sub Hamilton HT). Subs not used: Howson, Bingham.

PNE: Moilanen, Morgan, Beckett, Appleton, McLetchie (sub Turnbull 75 mins), Winstanley, McGregor, Darby, Beesley, Harris, King (sub Rhodes 77 mins). Subs not used: Bates, Bridgewater, Connolly.

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