Preston North End vs Burnley. Sky Bet Championship.
DeepdaleAttendance16,149.
Saturday 22 March 2008 15:13, UK
Chris Brown's 54th minute strike gave Preston the points in their north-west derby with Burnley.
Chris Brown scored a second-half winner to all but secure Preston's Coca-Cola Championship status and a season double over 10-man Lancashire rivals Burnley. The January signing from Norwich finished clinically from six yards in the 54th minute to hand North End victory and put them on 50 points with six games remaining. James O'Connor had fired home from distance to draw Burnley level in the 38th minute and cancel out an early strike from Preston loan star Tamas Priskin. Watford forward Priskin notched his first goal in four appearances for the Deepdale outfit with a delightful curling, right-footed shot from 18 yards in the fifth minute. And although Clarets midfielder O'Connor fired the ball through a group of players in the 38th minute to draw Owen Coyle's play-off chasing side level, Brown's strike ultimately proved crucial. Burnley's misery was complete when Preston-born defender Clarke Carlisle was shown a straight red card in the closing stages for a foul on Sean St Ledger. Priskin's early opener was just the start Irvine had hoped for and came from a superb cross by winger Simon Whaley. It was almost 2-0 two minutes later as Chris Sedgwick delivered a dangerous cross from the right which Brown greeted with a firm header from six yards. Clarets goalkeeper Brian Jensen made a fine parried save but Preston quickly built up a head of steam. Whaley fired goalwards from 25 yards and former Preston stalwart Graham Alexander was forced into a superb block to avert the danger.