Life after David Nugent started as North End retained the Jack Kirkland Memorial Trophy with a comfortable 5-2 win over local non-league rivals Chorley at Victory Park on Friday night; Karl Hawley scoring on his debut for the Lilywhites, but only after the home side's spirited display that matched their Championship counterparts for a spell in the first half.

It looked like it was going to be plain sailing for Rob Kelly and Billy Barr's side after the opening exchanges with Hawley opening the scoring on six minutes. The goal was created by a deft dummy from Neil Mellor who made space for himself in the left hand corner of the six yard box and hit a low shot goalwards. The Chorley keeper fumbled the effort and Hawley smashed home from close range.

The Lilywhites almost doubled their lead less than a minute later as Adam Nowland powerfully met a Jason Jarrett right wing cross, but only found the inside of the right hand post, with the ball ending at the feet of a Magpie defender.

Hawley saw another header blocked on the line by Priestley, the home side's keeper, from a Danny Pugh corner as it all looked one-way traffic, however, after a good spell of possession from the Unibond League side they grabbed a shock equaliser.

Firstly they were awarded a free kick 20 yards out, with a low shot being blocked by yellow shirted Pugh at the end of the PNE wall. The ball eventually found its way out to Moore, the Chorley number nine, who spun and half volley an effort from 25 yards out that ballooned off Sean St. Ledger's leg and looped over a scrambling Lonergan and into the back of the net with 14 minutes on the clock.

The home side were only level for four minutes; Sean St. Ledger making up for the deflection by restoring the visitors' advantage, a towering header from Simon Whaley's deep left hand corner over the top of Priestley in the net. It could have been three on 24 minutes, with Danny Pugh's shot blocked from 12 yards out by Brown.

It was 3-1 with eight minutes left on the clock in the first period with Neil Mellor grabbing his first of pre-season. It was a counter-attack from a Chorley corner. With Danny Pugh picking up the ball in the 'd' before releasing Whaley on the right. He fed Mellor, who dinked ball past defender, ran into box and finished low past Priestley into bottom right hand corner.

Five minutes later a knee in the back put an early end to Mellor's first run out of season, but in reality just three minutes before he would have come off with his team-mates who were replaced by a primarily youth team based side under the watchful eye of Director of Youth Dean Ramsdale at half-time.

It was 4-1 within a minute of the restart with Michael Conchie scoring on his debut in a North End shirt at senior level. Sam Hart made a good run on the left before feeding Aaron McCarthy in an inside left channel. He pulled the ball back across the six yard box where the youngster buried the ball from close range.

In weather more suited to the Deepdale Duck, the young North End side were not a physical match to their non-league opponents, but their pace and energy proved to be worth its weight in goal and on 67 minutes it was 5-1.

A free kick on the left by Sam Hart found all its way through the box to the back post where Chris McGrail controlled the ball well and viciously volleyed the ball into the roof of the net from a couple of yards out.

With 12 minutes left Priestley pulled off a superb one-handed save to deny Chris McGrail a second and the Lilywhites a sixth after a strong run from the inside right channel. Mike Aspin, who had a good half at right back, also went close with a left footed effort after appearing from nowhere onto a ball bobbling around the penalty spot.

The home side grabbed a consolation goal with seven minutes to go when Brown powered home a headed from Traynor's left wing corner from ten yards out, giving Chris Neal no chance.

First half line-up: Lonergan, Jarrett, St. Ledger, Chilvers, Davidson ©; Whaley, Nowland, Dalby, Pugh; Hawley, Mellor (McGrail, 42).
Second half line-up: Neal, Aspin, Collins, Oldfield, Rogers; McGrail, Fairhurst, McMahon, Hart; McCarthy, Conchie.

Chorley line-up: Priestley, Brown, Bronham, Clark, Holdern, Howson, Cooney, Goodeve, Moore, Burke, Traynor.

Referee: L Metcalfe

Attendance: 576