Tamas Priskin netted his first for Preston with Chris Brown securing a second half winner as a jubilant PNE side took all three points from another enthralling PNE-Burnley derby at Deepdale.

The fixture never fails to disappoint, and North End were largely deserving of a victory which looked on the cards right from the off after taking a fifth minute lead against a Clarets side that ended the game with ten men after Clarke Carlisle's late, late dismissal.

It also completed an excellent league double over a side skippered by former PNE great, Graham Alexander.

Burnley were first to test the water inside three minutes when David Unsworth's powerful shot was blocked by Chris Brown after firstly Wade Elliott and then Robbie Blake had worked it inside.

However, it was the home side that made their dominance count with the opening goal. Simon Whaley cut inside from the left flank as he loves to do when he's out on that side, and tapped it back to the waiting Priskin on the edge of the box. He gleefully ran onto the opportunity and got Deepdale roaring with a curling shot that snuck beautifully beyond Brian Jensen's reach into the bottom right corner.

It could have been two just moments later after more trickery from Priskin turned Harley inside out before laying a pass out wide to Jones, and the full back's cross only failed to result in a second when the Burnley keeper turned Brown's far post header away for a corner.

Priskin then got into a spot of bother with referee Uriah Rennie for attempting to convert McKenna's corner with an out-stretched arm, and was only denied a second when Jensen came out to block with his legs after Chris Sedgwick had sent him clear with a delightful ball over the top. Brown's effort on the rebound was clumsy and drifted wide of target, but the opening stages were a delight to watch for the PNE faithful.

Alexander, who had been given an excellent reception on his Deepdale return, soon became a villain after being forced to end one of Whaley's mazy runs with a crude hack, and Burnley were forced to utilise Jensen's long downfield punts as their only effective attacking option.

They nearly snatched an equaliser from another long clearance - Unsworth's deep free kick causing problems - but Robbie Blake failed to convert a neat turn into a goal, blazing over the top after Ade Akinbiyi had re-directed the long ball into his path.

The Clarets realised they could use the breeze in their favour to fashion attacks, but they found their efforts repelled by a determined Preston defensive unit in all areas of the field.

A change of approach saw Jon Harley break down the left hand side to whip in a cross that beat most of those waiting for it in the centre, though Elliott was waiting at the back post. His low shot was on target, but Andy Lonergan was well placed to save with his legs.

Blake showed further threatening signs as the visitors broke quickly from defending a Preston free kick, with the diminutive striker racing half the length of the field before unleashing a shot that Lonergan again dealt well with, tipping the dipping effort over the bar.

Another Priskin chance should have put Preston firmly in the driving seat, but again the loan signing couldn't find the target from a one-on-one opening. This time it was Mawene with the perfectly timed ball over the top, and initially Jensen seemed rooted to his line as the flag stayed down and the striker advanced. However, the Dutch keeper made his move just in time, racing towards Priskin to get the faintest of touches on his effort at goal to turn the ball away from danger and behind for a corner.

It could have been costly when a high ball caused confusion between Mawene and Lonergan as Akinbiyi raced to try and meet it, but Elliott lobbed the ball reassuringly wide of goal after he tried to take advantage of Lonergan's eventual half-cleared punch, which had left the goal exposed.

Burnley eventually levelled on 37 minutes after starting to take a foothold in the game - allowed to them after Preston had failed to make their early superiority count. Blake's corner from the North End right was only half-cleared, and James O'Connor was in the right place to return the ball back through the crowd of bodies, deceiving Lonergan - who got a hand to the ball - from 22 yards.

Darren Carter stretched Jensen with a seemingly mis-hit shot from the edge of the area as Preston looked to try and restore their lead, while Chris McCann turned a tame shot wide of the post after good build up involving Alexander, Elliott and Akinbiyi.

The lack of striking coherance meant that the sides went in level at the break, with Burnley boss Owen Coyle presumably the happier of the two managers having seen his side come back to parity after a less than inspiring start.

The Blake-O'Connor combination could have undone North End again within the opening stages of the second period, but luckily the latter dragged his shot wide after the former danced his way down the left wing.

Nine minute in, though, it was Preston that re-took the lead. McKenna's corner caused confusion inside the box, with Jones and half-time substitute Steven Caldwell scrambling for the ball on the edge of the six yard box. Eventually it broke kindly to the feet of Chris Brown, and he thumped it through the melee from eight yards.

Blake, ever the tormentor, won himself a free kick on the edge of the area after being clipped by McKenna when in search of a second equaliser, but he couldn't find any end product as he slashed the ball high into the orbit of the Kop.

Burnley threw on Andrew Cole in search of a crucial goal in their Play-Off hopes, while North End sent on their very own former Premier League striker as Neil Mellor came into the fray in place of earlier scorer Priskin - the fourth game in succession in which Preston have made that particular change.

The double change seemed to work more in North End's favour as Mellor immediately raced away down the left to chase McKenna's through ball, and his inviting cross was just inches away from being poked home by a dispairing Sedgwick, who was at full stretch in an attempt to convert.

An immediate counter saw Akinbiyi bear down on Lonergan and Mawene, but the home side's keeper came out bravely to block at the big striker's feet, with both men taking a knock for their troubles.

A cheeky flick from Mellor wasn't far away from securing a third for North End, while Brown was considerably less accurate with an attempted lob as the game slowed down a touch.

Alexander then fed Cole with a beautiful ball that was sent over in an arc from the right hand side, with the former England man taking the ball into his stride before unleashing a shot that Lonergan blocked for a corner.

Another great ball over the top in and end-to-end second period saw Whaley send Mellor through, with the recipient only able to shoot into the side netting after his angle kept narrowing with every advancing stride.

Burnley threw everything at the home defence in the remaining ten minutes in a bid to snatch a point, but they couldn't find a way past a brave and resolute backline. Their misery was complete in stoppage time when Preston-born Clarke Carlisle saw red for a nasty lunge on Sean St Ledger, but it was all-white for the jubilant North Enders as they took another massive stride towards safety.

PNE: Lonergan, Jones, Mawene, St Ledger, Davidson, Sedgwick, McKenna (capt), Carter, Whaley, Brown, Priskin (sub Mellor 70). Subs not used: Chris Neal, Lewis Neal, Hill, Chaplow.

Burnley: Jensen, Alexander, Carlisle, Unsworth (sub Caldwell 46), Harley, Elliott, O'Connor (sub Gudjonsson 74), McCann, Lafferty (sub Cole 68), Blake, Akinbiyi. Subs not used: Kiraly, Mahon.

Bookings: Mawene (39); Alexander (24), O'Connor (30), Blake (90)

Sent off: Carlisle (90)

Referee: Uriah Rennie

Attendance: 16,149