Ravanelli - scored twice in defeat (Getty Images)
Click here for full match stats
Preston piled on the misery for troubled Derby with a convincing 4-2 Division
One victory at Deepdale.
The game was over by half-time with Gary Alexander, Dickson Etuhu and Greek
striker George Koumantarakis - his first for the club - scoring for Preston who
have now won five of their last six games.
Richard Cresswell registered his 13th goal of the season to leave
disappointing Derby, who grabbed two late consolation goals through Italian
striker Fabrizio Ravanelli, without a win in six games.
Having dominated the opening exchanges, it was no surprise when Preston took
the lead in the 14th minute.
Alexander started and finished a flowing four-man move to drill home his 10th
goal of the season - only his second from open play.
Derby had to wait until the 21st minute to register their first attempt at
goal. Nick Chadwick, on loan from Everton, struck a fine long-range effort from
30 yards which drifted wide.
The home side doubled their advantage in the 26th minute. Koumantarakis
unleashed a fine drive from the edge of the box which Lee Grant did well to
parry, but Etuhu was on hand to tap the ball into the back of an empty net.
Preston ended a stunning half by adding a third six minutes before the break,
Koumantarakis finally breaking his drought after capitalising on a mistake by
Grant.
The Derby stopper redeemed himself in first-half injury-time with a fantastic
finger-tip save to deny Warren Barton. But Cresswell added a fourth six minutes
after the break after Chris Lucketti headed Eddie Lewis' corner back across
goal.
Cresswell was denied a second by a stunning save from Grant before Derby
pulled two back inside the last 15 minutes.
Craig Burley's piledriver was spilled by substitute goalkeeper David Lucas -
on for the injured Jonathan Gould - and Ravanelli tapped home. The Italian added
his second a minute from time, heading home Burley's cross.
Teams
Preston: Gould (Lucas 37), Alexander, Jackson, Lucketti,
Broomes, Cartwright, Etuhu, McKenna (Keane 72), Lewis,
Cresswell, Koumantarakis (Lynch 55).
Subs Not Used: Murdock, Mears.
Booked: McKenna, Lucketti, Lynch.
Goals: Alexander 14, Etuhu 26, Koumantarakis 39, Cresswell 51.
Derby: Grant, Barton, Elliott, Mills, Boertien, Lee, Burley,
Bolder, Kinkladze, Ravanelli, Chadwick (McLeod 67).
Subs Not Used: Zavagno, Jackson, Murray, Oakes.
Booked: Elliott, Lee.
Goals: Ravanelli 75, 90.
Att: 14,003
Ref: M Clattenburg (Co Durham).
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