"IF they didn't know how important this game was, they they have no right to call themselves professional footballers."

So said Preston boss Kelham O'Hanlon after watching his side beat fellow play-off hopefuls Coventry City.

For Coventry, the result means they are out of the playoffs. For North End, it means they have every chance of making them.

But while Coventry's season was ending, the misery was effectively just beginning for one moronic sky blues' fans whose actions are what this match will be remembered for.

With just two minutes of the game left to play, Richard Cresswell knocked home Preston's fourth of the match.

As Preston celebrated, a beer-bellied City fan beat the stewards, ran on to the pitch, hit keeper Marcus Hedman, then hit player/manager Roland Nilsson before being wrestled to the ground by Hedman and several stewards.

His disappointment was understandable, said Nilsson afterwards,but his actions weren't.

Both teams looked as though the weather was going to get the better of them, with the wind swirling around so much the defenders looked as though they were running in slow motion as the Town End nets filled up with rubbish.

But Preston proved to be masters of the dead ball not once, but twice, scoring identikit goals from Rob Edwards' corner flagger.

First, after four minutes, Edwards's ball met with Clyde Wijnhard to give Preston the lead.

Then, 22 minutes later, Etuhu met the corner to double Preston's advantage.

Coventry had only two half chances in the first half. First, Jay Boothroyd played in a cross-cum-shot which had to be scooped up by Tepi Moilanen.

Then, on 33 minutes, Haracio Carbonari went wide when attempting to redirect the corner kick.

Coventry introduced David Thompson in the second half in a bid to give his side more fire power. Within minutes, he had been booked for dissent.

But he did have City's only real shot of the second half, which Tepi stretched to tip over the bar.

On loan Gareth Ainsworth proved to be the star of the second half - carrying on playing Terry Butcher-style with a blooded shirt after gashing open his head in a challenge.

With four minutes to go, youngster Michael Keane released the ball from the left into the box where Ainsworth connected.

Cresswell wrapped things up two minutes later.

PRESTON NORTH END... 4 COVENTRY... 0