Total football as PNE outplay Charlton
2-1 
Deepdale witnessed a master class from Preston North End, swooping aside Charlton with ease. New signing John Parkin partnered Neil Mellor up front, which turned out to be a great partnership.
North End fell behind when former Burnley striker Andy Gray slotted home a penalty after 19 minutes. Charlton's opener came after a mix up between Youl Mawene and Andy Lonergan. Neither player seemed to want to take control, in the end Mawene who looked off his normal game, cropped Luke Varney.
North End kept the heads up, playing some super football. John Parkin held the ball up well, playing in Mellor on two occasions. The former Liverpool striker, failed to grab a leveler after Nicky Weaver made the saves. Irvine's men kept knocking on the Charlton door, the Lilywhites was unlucky to be behind at the interval.
Preston turned the screw one bit more as they applied more pressure on the Addicks. The goal finally came after some crisp passing football. Chris Sedgwick delivered the ball to the back post, Mellor latched on to the loose ball to fire home past Weaver. North End was now in the ascendancy, Charlton didn't know what had hit them. The Londoners looked worn out, after spending the majority of the match chasing the ball.
Eight minutes after Mellor's equaliser, Preston found themselves deservedly ahead. It was Barry Nicholson who reacted quickest to a through ball, to slide home through Weavers legs to give North End the lead. It was all North End, Charlton has a few breaks as the game opened up in the final ten minutes but failed to really put any pressure on the home side.
North End now sit nicely in second place in the Championship, joint top with Wolves and Birmingham City.
Preston: Lonergan, Jones, Mawene, St. Ledger, Hart, Nicholson, Chaplow, McKenna (Carter 78), Sedgwick (Whaley 90), Parkin, Mellor (Hawley 90).
Subs Not Used: Chris Neal, Wallace.
Booked: Mawene, Hart.
Goals: Mellor 58, Nicholson 66.
Charlton: Weaver, Moutaouakil (Youga 60), Hudson, Fortune, Basey (Dickson 78), Shelvey (Ambrose 46), Bailey, Holland, Bouazza, Varney, Gray.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Semedo.
Booked: Bailey, Ambrose.
Goals: Gray 19 pen.
Att: 12,089
Ref: Clive Oliver (Northumberland).
