PNE's Craig Brown was adamant that the defensive performances would improve from the Whites, and they did with a five-nil drubbing of Bath last night.
But it was their attacking play yet again that was impressive, with youngsters Lynch and Abbott up front, and Healy linking up just behind them as a support man.
And it seemed to do the trick, with both Abbott and Lynch scoring two and Healy scoring one with many assists. Craig Brown must be very pleased that he’s got a variety of strikers that are on form, a problem that North End have had for the last five years.
It was Healy who got the whites off the mark, when new boy Briscoe unleashed a cross on the left, for Healy to head in brilliantly at the far post on 26 minutes.
The rest of the goals came in the second half, and the first one came from excellent play from Abbott. He collected the ball in the Bath half, ran with a powerful surge, to chip it over the keeper with a brilliant finish.
Preston’s third came on 63 minutes when Etuhu ran with it on the right flank to cross it to Healy, who had his shot saved from the ‘keeper, and left Lynch with the easy job of nodding it into the net.
A few minutes later it was Abbott again who ran into the box, to meet a pass from Healy and curled it into the net. Lynch finished off the night and scored North End’s 5th on 81 minutes. Bailey put a perfect ball through to Healy to make him clear on goal, and he unselfishly passed it to Lynch at the other side of the box to finish it with ease.