ANOTHER three goal thriller here at Deepdale - and Preston kept a clean sheet to boot.

After the excitement and drama of Sunday against Manchester City, 14,000 fans braved the cold weather to watch a North End side unchanged from two days ago.

And far from the team feeling the strain of two games in three days, North End laid down the law from the off, with Mark Rankine missing an excellent chance in the first minute.

Jon Macken made up for it on seven minutes when he headed home a looping cross from skipper Sean Gregan from close range.

The number 17 was at the other end of the field ten minutes on when he cleared Michael Brown's effort from the line.

He raced down to the other end and, along with Rankine, Paul McKenna and David Healy, set about exposing United's less-than-watertight defence.

On 30 minutes, Macken fired a shot from 18 yards which was parried by keeper Simon Tracey into the path of David Healy, who had no trouble finishing off the jon Macken started.

United came out into the second half a stronger team but still they struggled to make progress - even with the help of a referee who couldn't have appeared more one-sided if he had dressed in red and white!

On 74 minutes Macken and Healy linked up again, but Tracey managed to smother Healy's drive.

Both were substituted minutes later, with Richard Cresswell and Kevin Gallacher taking to the field.

Then Paul McKenna was denied by the boot of Terry Phelan when he try to rocket a Lee Cartwright cross into the net.

Gallacher wrapped things up in front of North End's new stand with just two minutes to go when he tapped home Cresswell's effort whic had struck the post.

Perhaps the new number 12 - as David Moyes now affectionatley calls the Town End - really is making a difference!

North End will now be sweating on the fitness of Rob Edwards, who came off early in the first half.

NORTH END: Moilanen, Alexander, Edwards, Jackson, Lucketti, Gregan, McKenna, Cartwright, Rankine, Macken, Healy. subs: Lucas, Cresswell, Murdock, Gallacher, Anderson.

SHEFF UNITED: Tracey, Doane, Nicholson, Murphy, Page, Brown, Tonge, D'Jaffo, Ndlovu, Phelan, Devlin. Subs: Ford, Santon, Montgomery, Littlejohn, Wilko de Vogt

RESULT:

Preston North End 3

(Macken 7)

(Healy 31)

(Gallacher 86)

Sheffield United 0