New signing Paul Gascoigne inspired Burnley to a thrilling win over Lancashire
rivals Preston in an action-packed derby at Turf Moor.
The former England star was paraded before the start of the game to rapturous
applause then watched from the stands as the Clarets took command in the opening
half over a side badly missing departed boss David Moyes.
Ian Moore and new loan signing David Johnson grabbed the goals that gave the
Clarets three priceless points and moved them up to fourth in the First Divison
table.
But for North End it was an evening to forget as they got going much too late.
They remain five points off the play-off places with games fast running out.
Gascoigne just missed the deadline to play in this Lancashire derby after
joining the Clarets from Everton and will make his eagerly-awaited debut in
Wednesday's home clash with Bradford.
Boss Stan Ternent gave a home debut to striker Johnson after he completed his
loan move to Turf Moor from Nottingham Forest in midweek.
And he made an impact as early as the sixth minute when being the instigator
in the opening goal.
New signing Johnson harried Preston goalkeeper David Lucas after a long kick
from opposite number Marlon Beresford.
Lucas' misplaced kick fell to Moore 20 yards out, and the striker controlled
the ball well before deftly lobbing the retreating goalkeeper from the edge of
the box for his 12th goal of the season.
Johnson then missed a glorious chance himself to put the home side two up when
he raced onto a Tony Grant through ball but saw his low effort saved at full
stretch by Lucas.
But he made amends in style in the 25th minute, again outpacing the visitors
defence from a quickly taken Alan Moore free-kick and this time finding the
bottom corner of the net with a left-foot shot.
Burnley should have wrapped the game up in the 31st minute when Ian Moore beat
the offside trap but elected to shoot straight at Lucas when namesake Alan Moore
was unmarked in front of an open goal.
Six minutes later Johnson missed a gilt-edged chance to put the home side out
of reach, put in the clear when Gregan left a Beresford kick but firing into the
side-netting after rounding Lucas.
Just after the hour Preston at last started to come into the game and it took
a great save from Beresford to keep the home side two goals clear in the 61st
minute.
Etuhu's low, left-foot drive from a Rob Edwards corner looked goalbound until
Beresford clawed it away at full stretch.
O'Hanlon introduced winger Iain Anderson for Lee Cartwright in the 64th minute
in an attempt to breath more life into his strikeforce.
But it was the home side who should have put the game beyond doubt a minute
later when Kevin Ball played a neat one-two with Johnson but blazed over from 10
yards with the goal beckoning.
Beresford then produced another great save to parry Cresswell's close-range
header from a great Etuhu cross as North End sought a lifeline.
Anderson set up a tense finale when he fired hard and low past Beresford in
the 84th minute.
Chances came and went for both sides in a gripping final minutes, but the home
side hung on to the delight of Gascoigne and the rest of the 18,388 crowd.
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