Final Score: Preston Reserves 3 Bury Reserves 1 (Mellor 11, 27, Lewis Neal 82; Dean 50)

Preston's second team made it three wins from three at Deepdale after a satisfying victory against Bury in torrid conditions.

The rain fell relentlessly on the lush green turf for the first hour, making the pitch as slippery as a skating rink at times, but it was water off a duck's back for the senior players out to impress, with Neil Mellor grabbing a brace and Lewis Neal adding a late third.

Indeed, the opening stages were dominated by two things - the rain and North End.

Within eight minutes, the hosts could have been ahead as the lively Karl Hawley shrugged off his marker and broke clear, but having rounded Bury's trialist keeper Richard O'Donnell the angle became too acute, and his effort rebounded off the near post.

PNE didn't have to wait too long for a goal, with the weather playing a key role in their 11th minute opener. A simple pass from midfield back to young centre half Lee Peatfield soon turned into a defence splitting ball as the defender slipped on the damp surface, presenting Neil Mellor with the chance to race clear and slot the ball beneath the advancing keeper from the edge of the box.

Mellor should have added to that tally soon after with a pair of fine chances, but he could only head wide from close range after a great cross from Joe Anyinsah, and then he produced a weak shot after a promising break which saw him steal the ball in midfield and race clear of the back line.

Another chance went begging as Lewis Neal simply glided past Peatfield as he slipped on the wet turf, but despite presenting Anyinsah with a simple one-on-one, the winger somehow put the ball wide from six yards off the outside of his boot. By holding his head in his hands for several seconds, Joe's body language said it all.

After lacking co-ordination on that occasion, the North End winger soon put it right with an excellent ball in from the right that landed amongst a crowd of bodies. Ready and waiting in the centre of the melee was Mellor, who confidently headed in a second goal on 27 minutes.

He could have had a hat-trick just 60 seconds later, but he couldn't quite stretch his legs to meet Dylan Adams' inviting cross, and Sean St Ledger came close with a header that hit the bar before being penalised for pushing.

Bury eventually worked an opening when James Dean arrived on the scene and shot wide from the edge of the box, but that was as good as it got for them in the first half.

Things improved for the Shakers into the second period, but only once O'Donnell had shown strength and agility to punch away Anyinsah's powerful angled shot a few minutes after the re-start. From the following counter-attack, Dale Stephens latched onto a through ball from the deep and slid the ball home after beating Chris Neal to the bounce.

The first half had been played at a lightning pace at times - apt given the flashes of lightning visible in the distance away from the stadium. However, the Bury goal seemed to spell the end of the lighting of any kind, replaced by the sound of thunder and a clatter of substitutions.

A thunderous shot from Bury's Ricky Anane nearly changed that, but Neal was relieved to see the ball flash narrowly past his post. North End responded with sub Danny Mayor hammering down the right and delivering a ball to Anyinsah who had moved up front in a tactical re-shuffle, but the makeshift forward squeezed his shot just after the bar after turning neatly.

St Ledger went close again from a set piece, although he knew little about it as the keeper parried Lewis Neal's free kick onto his advancing head and away for a goal kick.

With Bury seemingly getting stronger as the game wore on, it was certainly a relief to the home side when Lewis Neal's strike settled the game with eight minutes left. After jinking inside from the left unchallenged, he took a chance with his 'lesser' right foot and gave O'Donnell no chance from 18 yards.

PNE: Chris Neal, Adams, Hill, Bloxham, St Ledger, Jarrett, Anyinsah, Fairhurst (sub Mainwaring 85), Hawley (sub Mayor 58), Mellor (sub McCarthy 58), Lewis Neal. Subs not used: Thompson, McMahon.

Bury: O'Donnell, Young, Haslam, Peatfield, Parkinson (sub Thompson 44), Anane, Leonard, Stephens (sub Fields 71), Hall (sub Rouse 65), Mangan, Dean. Sub not used: Smith.