Preston 6-0 Stockport

E-mail your reaction to Football Talk

David Healy led the way with his first hat-trick for Preston as the home side crushed managerless Stockport.

To make matters worse for the visitors, Jason Van Blerk was sent off for throwing a punch at Graham Alexander.

Healy was off the mark as early as the 11th minute when he played a one-two with Paul McKenna before firing in the opener.

Alexander soon set up Healy for a second, before Van Blerk lashed out in frustration and was shown the red card.

Healy completed his hat-trick with a header in the 37th minute, and Stockport could only manage a break from Glynn Hurst in the opening period.

Chris Lucketti made it 4-0 nine minutes into the second half with a towering header from an Alexander corner, and Richard Cresswell then blasted in the fifth from the edge of the box.

Stockport skipper Mike Flynn almost scored an own goal when his header tested ex-England keeper Tim Flowers - on loan from Leicester.

But McKenna ensured there was a sixth goal with a strike eight minutes from time.

---

Preston: Moilanen, Alexander, Lucketti, Murdock, Kidd, Cartwright, Rankine, Gregan, McKenna, Healy, Macken. Subs: Lucas, Gallacher, Anderson, Eaton, Cresswell.

Stockport: Flowers, Clark, Sandford, Flynn, Gibb, Clare, Van Blerk, Smith, Taylor, Wilbraham, Hurst. Subs: Turner, Sneekes, Welsh, Woodthorpe, Roget.

Referee: H Webb (Rotherham).