Full Time: PNE Reserves 3 Accrington Stanley Reserves 2 (Hawley 7, Mellor 34, Whaley 40; McGivern 19, pen 38)

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The win that Preston have been waiting for was finally delivered in a five-goal thriller at Deepdale.

After the well-documented troubles of the first team and a 3-0 opening day reverse for the second string at Rochdale last week, goals from Karl Hawley, Neil Mellor and Simon Whaley helped a strong reserve line-up to record a timely boost.

Of greatest pleasure to the home supporters was the solid overall look of the team, including a fine performance from Whaley on the left flank.

It could have been the perfect start for the hosts who threatened through the new left winger's first minute corner. Skipper Matt Hill's head connected with the delivery, teeing up Karl Hawley to stab an effort at goal which Shaun Whalley hacked away to safety.

The sharp shooting of Phil Appiah nearly brought early dividends too - the youth team scholar's shot narrowly clearing the bar before an effort from Neil Mellor did likewise.

The sparse quantity of North End fans didn't have to wait long for their first Deepdale goal since Simon Whaley's pre-season effort against Everton in mid July, with Neil Mellor's storming run down the right flank resulting in a textbook square ball to Hawley - he looked ultra cool in side-footing a seventh minute opener past Ian Dunbavin.

The scorer then looked odds on to add a second before the ten minute mark, but his run was halted by what appeared to be a tug from left back Leam Richardson. The referee obviously required further persuading and simply waved 'play on'.

Neil Mellor's bad luck in front of goal continued when he was presented with an excellent right sided delivery by Danny Mayor, but the striker's point blank header cannoned back off the bar and Whaley's follow up effort was beaten away by Dunbavin.

That proved somewhat crucial, as Accy immediately countered and stunned North End with a pinpoint free kick - Leighton McGivern finding the top left corner of Andy Lonergan's goal with a sweet nineteenth minute strike.

Whalley nearly turned the score on it's head with an effort from a similar distance, but the shot was a few inches too high to be of any concern to Lonergan. Whaley instantly countered with another well struck strike, which took some holding by the keeper.

Jason Jarrett felt he had a valid claim for a penalty as he twisted and turned in the area, only to scuff his shot wide from six yards after heavy pressure from Phillip Edwards. The same defender then proved Stanley's hero as he headed clear when Mellor's curling shot looked destined for the top corner.

The goal that Mellor so richly deserved finally appeared shortly after the half hour mark. A neat one-two with Hawley turned a promising left sided break into a genuine goalscoring chance, and the former Liverpool target man showed that he knows exactly where the back of the net is with an experly taken side footer from 15 yards.

Accrington were presented with the ideal chance to level on 38 minutes when the official ruled that Billy Jones had tripped Whalley en route to goal. Mellor didn't believe in the call and earnt a yellow card for his protests which proved to be in vain - McGivern slotting the penalty low to Lonergan's right as he dived the other way.

An astonishing half packed full of goals showed no sign of slowing in pace, and Whaley proved he can revell in a left sided role by cutting in from the flank and curling a low shot into the bottom corner little more than a minute after the leveller. The winger's effort was so well placed that Dunbavin didn't even bother to dive.

Brown's foul on Whaley earnt North End a free kick late in the half, but Jarrett curled the ball wide to signal the end of the first 45.

Hawley and Mellor both continued to threaten the Stanley goal into the second period, but neither could keep their shots down as half chances fell their way.

North End's trio of scholars - Dominic Collins, Danny Mayor and Phil Appiah - all made way during the second half, but all three could take pride from their efforts, with Mayor in particular looking a great threat down the right.

Preston continued to dominate the game, but Accy looked like they still had a goal in them - David Brown seeing a low shot well saved by Lonergan and Roscoe Dsane having a long range effort deflected wide in the dying moments.

Thankfully, the home side held on, and there was much for Billy Barr to smile about as the shrill of the final whistle echoed around a sparsely filled Deepdale.

PNE: Lonergan, Jones, Hill (capt), Collins (sub Aspin 60), Chilvers, Jarrett, Mayor (sub Mainwaring 69), Appiah (sub Fairhurst 69), Hawley, Mellor, Whaley. Subs not used: Thompson, McCarthy.

Accrington: Dunbavin, Edwards, Richardson, Brown (capt), McGivern, Dsane, McGrail, Whalley, Grant (sub Smith 86), Bell, Murphy. Subs not used: Fearon, O'Connor, Turner.

Catch all the post-match reaction from Billy Barr on Wednesday - only on Whites World.