Match ends, Preston North End 4, Colchester United 2.
Preston North End 4-2 Colchester United
- From the section Football
Preston North End fought back to beat a tenacious Colchester United and move into the League One play-off spots.
Rhys Healey put United ahead from close range, but two goals in four minutes from Scott Wiseman and Alan Browne saw Preston lead midway through the half.
Alex Gilbey equalised with a stunning 25-yard strike, but Paul Gallagher's long-range shot restored Preston's lead two minutes after the break.
Chris Humphrey raced onto Gallagher's defence-splitting pass to make it 4-2.
Joe Garner and substitute Callum Robinson hit the woodwork for the hosts and Jones denied Colchester's Freddie Sears, as Preston maintained their unbeaten record at Deepdale this season.
Line-ups
Preston
- 1Jones
- 4Wiseman
- 5Clarke
- 6Wright
- 16Buchanan
- 31Browne
- 8Kilkenny
- 7HumphreySubstituted forRobinsonat 68'minutes
- 30BrownhillSubstituted forReidat 58'minutes
- 12Gallagher
- 14GarnerSubstituted forRyanat 90+1'minutes
Substitutes
- 17Reid
- 21Stuckmann
- 22King
- 23Huntington
- 24Hayhurst
- 27Robinson
- 33Ryan
Colchester
- 1Walker
- 20Clohessy
- 26KentBooked at 79mins
- 18EastmanBooked at 43mins
- 3Gordon
- 8Gilbey
- 21Massey
- 24Moncur
- 11Sears
- 19HealeySubstituted forWrightat 65'minutes
- 7Sanchez Watt
Substitutes
- 2Wright
- 6Eastmond
- 12Lewington
- 16Lawrence
- 17Wright
- 27Bonne
- 32Lapslie
- Referee:
- Steve Martin
- Attendance:
- 8,478
Match Stats
Home TeamPrestonAway TeamColchester
- Possession
- Home57%
- Away43%
- Shots
- Home16
- Away13
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away7
- Corners
- Home6
- Away10
- Fouls
- Home7
- Away6
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Preston North End 4, Colchester United 2.
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Sean Clohessy.
Foul by Bailey Wright (Preston North End).
Freddie Sears (Colchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Kyel Reid (Preston North End) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Substitution
Substitution, Preston North End. Jack Ryan replaces Joe Garner.
Attempt saved. Alex Gilbey (Colchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Corner, Colchester United. Conceded by Jamie Jones.
Attempt saved. Freddie Sears (Colchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner.
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by George Moncur.
Attempt blocked. Neil Kilkenny (Preston North End) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt saved. Freddie Sears (Colchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Foul by Paul Gallagher (Preston North End).
Alex Gilbey (Colchester United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Alan Browne (Preston North End).
Drey Wright (Colchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Bailey Wright (Preston North End) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Sanchez Watt (Colchester United).
Corner, Colchester United. Conceded by Alan Browne.
Attempt blocked. Freddie Sears (Colchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt saved. Paul Gallagher (Preston North End) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the left is saved in the centre of the goal.
Booking
Frankie Kent (Colchester United) is shown the yellow card.
Joe Garner (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Frankie Kent (Colchester United).
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Frankie Kent.
Callum Robinson (Preston North End) hits the bar with a right footed shot from outside the box.
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Alex Gilbey.
Attempt blocked. Callum Robinson (Preston North End) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Foul by Joe Garner (Preston North End).
Ben Gordon (Colchester United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Corner, Colchester United. Conceded by Bailey Wright.
Attempt blocked. Freddie Sears (Colchester United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Attempt missed. Drey Wright (Colchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
Substitution
Substitution, Preston North End. Callum Robinson replaces Chris Humphrey.
Corner, Colchester United. Conceded by Bailey Wright.
Substitution
Substitution, Colchester United. Drey Wright replaces Rhys Healey.
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Ben Gordon.
Joe Garner (Preston North End) hits the bar with a header from the centre of the box.
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Sean Clohessy.