Preston 0-2 Gillingham

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Goals from Simon Osborn and Paul Smith ensured Gillingham completed a league double over Preston.

Andy Hessenthaler's men handed out a 5-0 thrashing to North End on the opening day of the season.

And they made sure of another win over Preston at Deepdale after the home team missed several good chances.

Preston, who had knocked Brighton out of the FA Cup in midweek, had been in search of a third league win in four games as they push for a place in the play-off places.

But a combination of slack finishing and some unforgivable passing in midfield condemned them to a third home league defeat of the season.

The crowd had to wait until the 24th minute for a goalscoring opportunity, with Northern Ireland international David Healy firing just wide of Vince Bartram's near post after a sharp cross from Rob Edwards.

Just four minutes later it was the Gills who broke the deadlock, with good work on the right from Ty Gooden creating space for Osborn to shoot home from six yards.

The goal - somewhat against the run of play at the time - injected new life into the visitors and in the 32nd minute Moilanen had to be at full stretch to tip over Gooden's left-footed curler.

Preston finished the half by squandering two opportunities, both through Jon Macken.

The former Manchester United man was unlucky not to score with the first opportunity after a fine solo run came to nothing.

But on the stroke of the interval he wasted a golden chance to level when he missed the target from seven yards.

Healy and Macken, starting together for the seventh game in a row, combined well shortly after the start of the second half but Macken shot wide.

At the other end, Gooden should have increased the Gills' advantage but wastefully skied a close-range shot when freed by Marcus Browning's pull-back.

North End continued to push for an equaliser, Healy and Macken both forcing good saves from the impressive Bartram.

But the home side's best chance of the match arrived in the 64th minute.

Eric Skora, making only his third start for the club, almost grabbed his second goal in two games, but his header clattered against the inside of the post to safety.

And with three minutes on the clock Marlon King's shot was spilled by Moilanen, allowing skipper Smith to gleefully wrap up the three points.

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Preston: Moilanen, Alexander, Murdock, Lucketti, Edwards, Skora, Keane, McKenna, Anderson, Macken, Healy. Subs: Gregan, Cartwright, Eaton, Basham, Lonergan.

Gillingham: Bartram, Hope, Ashby, Patterson, Smith, Osborn, Gooden, Browning, Nosworthy, King, Shaw. Subs: Butters, Hessenthaler, Ipoua, Saunders, James.

Referee: R Furnandiz (Doncaster)