Preston 3-2 Sunderland

Richard Cresswell scored a first-half hat-trick as Preston defeated Sunderland at Deepdale.

Cresswell converted Eddie Lewis' cross for the opener and latched on to Youl Mawene's long clearance for his second.

Thomas Myhre saved from Paul McKenna before Cresswell converted another cross from Lewis just before the break.

Stephen Elliott curled home a shot from close range and Sean Thorton scored with his right foot with nine minutes left to set up a tense finish.

Preston manager Billy Davies:
"Our first-half play was first class. We showed good stern determination to hang in there. And we have been working very hard on one or two set-pieces.

"Collectively, the team is working extremely hard, no doubt about it, getting at it and putting in the job required.

"We have the character to take on the top boys and get one or two results."

Sunderland manager Mick McCarthy:
"If I think it was our worst, most inept, dreadful performance for 45 minutes that I have ever seen, you can maybe think what I might have said to the players at half-time.

"We were lacking a bit of moral courage, passing and playing the ball. We conceded two goals from set-plays which I find quite upsetting.

"The second goal was probably indicative of our first-half performance - a comedy of errors. I hope I can't think of a worse performance.

"There was nothing wrong with the pitch, the stadium, or the weather. The only thing wrong was us for 45 minutes."

---

Preston: Lonergan, Mawene, Lucketti, Davis, Alexander, Sedgwick (Oliveira 67), O'Neil (Etuhu 77), McKenna, Lewis, Cresswell, Agyemang (Daley 83). Subs Not Used: Ward, O'Neill.

Booked: Sedgwick, Davis.

Goals: Cresswell 13, 30, 43.

Sunderland: Myhre, Wright, Breen, Caldwell, McCartney, Piper (Thornton 45), Whitehead, Whitley, Arca (Brown 45), Elliott, Stewart (Welsh 68). Subs Not Used: Neill Collins, Alnwick.

Booked: Wright.

Goals: Elliott 72, Thornton 81.

Att: 16,940.

Ref: M Pike (Cumbria).