Town continued their climb up the First Division with a hard-fought 3-0 win against a much-depleted Preston North End. Marcus Bent put the Blues in front in the first half with sub Darren Bent notching two when on as a sub for the second time in successive home games.

Joe Royle switched back to his regular 3-5-2 formation with Chris Makin returning to the side in a back three with Matt Holland and Thomas Gaardsøe. Jim Magilton overcame his calf problem and played in the central midfield trio with Tommy Miller and Jermaine Wright. Out wide were Hermann Hreidarsson and Fabian Wilnis with Marcus Bent and Pablo Couñago up front.

Couñago had the first two efforts of the game, a shot over the bar from the edge of the area and a volley hit well but also too high.

On 7 Jim Magilton set Fabian Wilnis away on the right with a fabulous pass. The Dutchman sent in a cross which was blocked just before it reached Marcus Bent on the edge of the six-yard box.

Preston's first real attack ended with a freekick just outside the area after Eddie Lewis had somewhat theatrically thrown himself to the ground in the vicinity of Fabian Wilnis. Referee Carl Boyeson didn't see things that way and showed the Town number two a yellow card. The freekick was hit into the Town wall.

Chances were few and far between with much of the play in the middle of the park Town were having most of the possession with Preston largely content to sit back. On a rare foray forward for the visitors David Healy hit a shot which failed to trouble Andy Marshall.

Town's set pieces have come on a great deal since Joe Royle took over as manager and in the 28th minute a freekick would again lead to a goal. Pablo Couñago had been fouled on the left edge of the area by Brian O'Neil, the referee having a word with the pair. Jim Magilton whipped in the kick and Marcus Bent rose higher than anyone else to head home off the bar.

The goal came at an ideal time with some in the crowd beginning to get restless and impatient after Town's recent home goalscoring exploits. Not long after Bent's goal Couñago, working as hard as ever, was put through by Jim Magilton but the ball seemed to stick in the mud and he had to turn away from goal. Eventually he got a shot in which Gould saved.

With nine minutes left before the break Tommy Miller hit a shot wide after fine work from Wilnis and Marcus Bent on the right. At the other end Andy Marshall was largely a spectator and had yet to make a save of any sort.

That changed on 39 when Marcus Bent headed a Preston freekick back to the keeper when putting the ball out of the penalty area might have been a more cautious manoeuvre. However, Marshall claimed with little trouble.

Jim Magilton was at the heart of most of Town's creative play and in the 42nd minute his ball from the right went across the face of goal before being cleared. Magilton himself was close to scoring as the half entered injury time, his curling chip just going by the post.

No changes for the Blues at the break and very quickly they were on the attack, Marcus Bent hitting a shot from 20 yards which Gould saved spectacularly, high to his right.

With the half four minutes old the Town goal was in serious danger for perhaps the first time in the game. A scramble ensued in the box after a cross was knocked down before Pawel Abbot's effort was cleared.

Form Town, Marcus Bent took down a Jim Magilton cross from the left, but lifted his shot over the bar. Preston, however were starting to have more of the possession and on 46 Marshall comfortably caught Lee Cartwright's 25 yard shot.

Just before the hour mark a fine interchange between Couñago and Magilton teed-up Miller whose shot cannoned off a defender and into the area where Gould punched it clear.

With Preston having the better of the possession Joe Royle decided to bring on the pace of Darren Bent to provide a greater threat on the break. Couñago was the man to make way, although he had again put in a busy and threatening performance.

Marcus Bent, always one keen on a spectacular attempt on goal, tried an overhead kick in the 72nd minute, however the ball went straight up in the air, only to be cleared to Hermann Hreidarsson. His shot cannoned for a corner on the left which Jim Magilton prepared to take.

However, in the dug-out Joe Royle was set on another change, Darren Ambrose replacing Magilton and taking over the corner-kicking duties. Ambrose's kick was flicked on by Hermann Hreidarsson at the near post and bundled in by Darren Bent at the back post, apparently off his cheek. After missing a few chances at Burnley last week it was important for the youngster to get on target this time around.

Darren Bent's pace was giving Craig Brown's side a few different problems and in the 77th minute he hit a shot which was too close to Gould in goal.

Darren Ambrose had slipped quickly into the midfield and in the 85th minute it was his pass over the top which set Darren Bent on the way to scoring Town's third. Bent took the ball from just inside the Preston half before slipping it by Gould and into the net.

There was no way back for Preston who despite having so many players out had made the afternoon by no means as easy as the scoreline suggests. The Blues were not at their best but did enough on a bumpy and difficult pitch against a side who, particularly in the first half, defended in numbers.

Darren Bent took both his goals well as did Marcus Bent who continues to improve game one game. Andy Marshall had a comfortable game and the clean sheet will give him confidence.

Earlier in the season this might have been the kind of game Town would have drawn 0-0 or even lost 1-0. These days they are made of sterner stuff and now find themselves in 10th position, two points off the play-off places and nine games into an unbeaten run.

Photo: Action Images

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