LIVE FROM DEEPDALE

PRESTON NORTH END 1 (Welbeck 27)
BARNSLEY 4 (Anderson 9, Hart OG 43, Gray 69, Rodriguez 90)

IT was simply brilliant at times from Barnsley as Mark Robins side blew away North End at Deepdale.

There were more changes for the Reds as Mark Robins looked for a reaction following Saturday's disappointment at Reading. New signing Filipe Teixeira came in to make his debut in a five man midfield alongside Anderson, Hugo Colace, Nathan Doyle and the recalled Emil Hallfredsson. Andy Gray was given the nod up front while Iain Hume and Jon Macken dropped out. Jay Rodriguez was on the bench.

North End had Man United loanee Danny Welbeck up front with ex-Oakwell youngster Jon Parkin sat on the subs bench.

Barnsley were very lively from the first whistle and Gray almost got in behind Preston inside three minutes but was barged to the ground by Sean St Ledger. Referee Nigel Miller amazingly gave nothing.

The Reds fine start got even better on nine minutes as Anderson took advantage of some very sloppy midfield play by Richard Chaplow to break forward and crash an unstoppable low drive past Andy Lonergan from all of 30 yards.

A trip on Teixeira, who was having a fine start to his Oakwell career, gave Hallfredsson the chance to whip in a free kick on 13 minutes but the Icelander sent his effort sailing over the top.

St Ledger was then caught being far too clever than any centre half should be deep in the North End half on 15 minutes and lost possession to Gray. The Reds were suddenly in a great position down the right hand side but Hallfredsson could not nod Anderson's deep cross into the back of the net at the back stick.

Chris Brown should have been booked on 18 minutes as North End's clear frustration got the better of him and he went straight through Doyle. Anderson then brought a save from Lonergan on 20 minutes as the Reds camped in the Preston half.

North End's first real sight of goal came on 27 minutes as Ross Wallace skipped away down the left to cross but Brown could only head high over the top.

The home side grabbed a totally undeserved equaliser just seconds later after a howler of a back pass by Darren Moore let in Welbeck and the striker finished emphatically past Steele.

It should have been two for the home side on 35 minutes as Wallace's corner dropped invitingly to St Ledger at the back post but the Lilywhites defender completely missed his kick with the goal gaping.

An outrageous piece of skill by Anderson had North End at sixes and sevens again on 39 minutes as the Brazilian's flick sent Carl Dickinson away but there was no one in the middle to apply a finish.

Barnsley again grabbed the lead their total dominance of the opening half warranted on 43 minutes when Stephen Foster met Hallfredsson's swinging corner and the ball ended up in the back of the net albeit with the help of a massive deflection off Michael Hart.

North End were inches away from a second equaliser in stoppage time as Mellor's fine volley beat Steele all ends up but came cannoning away off the underside of the bar.

The home side would have been level just two minutes after the restart when Darren Carter's cross dropped for Mellor at the far post but Steele was quickly off his line to make a magnificent one-handed save.

The Reds then could have been further in front on 50 minutes as Anderson again found the right pass to open North End wide open but Gray saw his effort deflect just over the bar. Lonergan then had to be alert seconds later to parry Colace's striker after Preston had struggled to clear Hallfredsson's corner kick.

Hallfredsson was giving Hart nightmares down the Barnsley left and the Icelander again found yards of space on 52 minutes to fee Doyle but the midfielder lashed a shot high over the bar from 25 yards.

The Reds were rampant against a Preston side who looked clueless every time Barnsley broke forward. It was almost a perfect night for Gray on 54 minutes as he rose unchallenged to meet Dickinson's fine cross and the striker's 16 yard header beat Lonergan but cannoned back off the upright.

North End were ragged and in danger of losing their discipline. Carter was the first to pick up a booking on 59 minutes for a silly lunge through Anderson. The Brazilian should have bagged his second of the game just moments later as he combined brilliantly with Gray and Teixeira before racing through on goal but Lonergan was quickly out to make a very smart save.

Hallfredsson picked up a caution on 62 minutes after tripping Billy Jones as North End looked to break on the counter. Anderson almost created a chance for Gray on 69 minutes as his cross skipped through the North End defence but the Reds striker could not turn it goalward.

Gray finally got his goal just seconds later as he left the Preston offside trap standing to race clear onto Doyle's knock and hammered the ball past Lonergan from 12 yards. It was a fine finish from the striker.

North End could not put the Reds under any sort of pressure and Carter's wild swing on 73 minutes sent some Lilywhites' fans heading to the Deepdale exit. The boos were ringing around Deepdale as Eddie Nolan hammered a shot high over the top of Steele's goal. Doyle then had Lonergan scrambling on 85 minutes as he hit one a foot over the bar.

Anderson picked up a late caution for a foul on Nolan although the North End full back made the most of it on the touchline. It was Anderson's final action as he was replaced in stoppage time by Rodriguez.

Rodriguez made a stunning impact within seconds of coming onto the pitch as a neatly worked free kick saw Gray break clear to cross and the on loan youngster had the simplest of tasks to roll the ball into an empty net.

PRESTON NORTH END: Lonergan, Hart, Chaplow (Carter 30), Collins, Brown, St Ledger, Welbeck, Jones, Wallace (Parkin 68), Nolan, Mellor (Treacy 57).
Subs: Mawene, Chilvers, Henderson, Mayor.

BARNSLEY: Steele, Shotton, Moore, Foster, Dickinson, Anderson (Rodriguez 90), Colace, Doyle, Teixeira, Hallfredsson, Gray.
Subs: Preece, Hammill, Macken, Bogdanovic, Hume, Potter.

REFEREE
Nigel Miller (County Durham)
ASSISTANT REFEREE
Ross Joyce (Cleveland) and Paul Kettlewell (Lancashire)
FOURTH OFFICIAL
Ryan Johnson (Manchester)

Match Report By Rob Knowles

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