The personnel changed but it was back to the script of old for Preston North End as they got back to winning ways with a fine 3-1 victory over a lacklustre Sheffield Wednesday side at Hillsborough.
If North End needed a kick up the backside following their midweek defeat at Colchester they certainly got it as ealry as the third minute when the Owls took a surprise lead when the usually flawless Lonergan let a Deon Burton daisy-cutter slip under his hands and into the net.
But the kick up the backside only served to wake PNE from their slumbers and with a new-look strikeforce of Ormerod, Nugent and Ricketts they set about dismantling an inexperienced Sheffield Wednesday side.
Brett Ormerod levelled matters only minutes after Preston had fallen behind, the three attacking players all involved in the move, fully justifying Paul Simpson's decision to change the formation.
Then as the two teams were thinking about their half-time cuppas David Nugent sprinted in from the left and cheekily deposited the ball in the back of the net at Mark Crossley's near post.
Nugent's second on North End's third was also cheeky, this time as it came off his backside following great work from Ormerod.
The big news for North End prior to kick-off was a change in system with North End employing a three-pronged attack of Michael Ricketts, David Nugent and Brett Ormerod who returned to the starting line-up following a two game absence. The unlucky man to drop out was Lewis Neal who took up the place on the bench alongside Sean St. Ledger, Simon Whaley, Danny Dichio in the sixteen at the expense of Mellor and Wayne Henderson who comes into the squad at the expense of Carlo Nash.
Wednesday's side had an experienced look to it with many of the names recognisable to Championship fans. Kenny Lunt came in for former PNE loanee Yoann Folly, Deon Burton returned at the expense of Steve MacLean whilst the Owls handed a home debut to 17-year-old Academy product Mark Beevers.
In the third minute of the game, Brett Ormerod found some space in behind the defence onto a lofted Matt Hill ball, the PNE striker took the ball in his stride on his left but just as he got the ball into the box his touch let him down and the ball ran out of play.
One minute later and the ball was in the back of the net at the other end of the field. Beevers chested a long ball into the path of Burton and he cut in from the right, got plenty of space on the edge of the box and he hit a low drive under the diving grasp of Lonergan.
In the 6th minute it was one a piece and it was a fantastic goal, well worked between all three of PNE's attacking men. Nugent chased a long ball down the left, cut inside his marker and delivered a great ball to the back post where Ricketts was strong to head a ball across the six yard box and Ormerod had the easiest of headers to glance home.
Preston looked to have settled after the early exchanges and from a Wednesday corner they almost grabbed another. Pugh looped a ball out of defence and Ormerod chased it down, he was clear of his marker and with Nugent lurking in the middle he whipped the ball across forcing the covering defender to put the ball out for a corner.
North End could have been ahead on 17 minutes, the Lilywhites won a free-kick on the right about 40 yards out after a Wednesday man had handled the ball out of Nugent's path. Pugh floated the ball towards goal and Ricketts was unmarked six yards out to power a header which clattered against the cross-bar.
In the 21st minute David Nugent had two wonderful chances which should have put the Lilywhites ahead. The first came after a great long ball over the top from Chilvers, Nugent had two Wednesday men in close attendance but he still managed to emerge with the ball clear on goal, he took the ball into the area and it took a great save from Crossley to deny the Under-21 international. From the rebound Ormerod played Nugent in again, but this time he snatched at his shot and it bobbled harmlessly towards Crossley's waiting arms.
In the 33rd minute Andy Lonergan had to be at his best when Wade Small twisted and turned his way into the box on the right and when everyone was expecting a cross he drove the ball to the top corner and Lonergan had to flick the ball over the bar.
Lonergan was called into action again in the 44th minute when Whelan hit a looping volley towards goal after Pugh had half-cleared a Wednesday goal.
In the first minute of injury time North End had the lead and it was a great individual effort from non-other than David Nugent. He chased down a Danny Pugh ball over the top down the left channel, took the ball into the box and as Crossley's body shaped to snuff out the square ball but Nugent was clever enough to stick the ball in at the near post.
The first chance of the second half came when Lee Bullen had the ball taken off of his feet by Nugent and the young striker set off towards goal. He let fly with an effort from 30-yards out that was well over the bar.
It was 3-1 to North End's yellows in the 55th minute. Brett Ormerod stole the ball in the middle of the Wednesday half, Pugh picked it up and set off towards goal. Ormerod went round Pugh's outside on the overlap and Pugh played him in on the right. Ormerod's pace got him to the ball and he squared a ball into the middle of the box for Nugent to scramble home.
On 58 minutes Sheffield Wednesday made a doube substitution when Tudgay and Lunt were replaced Clarke and Folly.
Nugent almost crafted a fourth in the 59th minute when he went on one of those scampering runs down the touchline, cutting in once he was beyond the last man and squaring a ball that Sheffield Wednesday had to scramble away for a corner.
Two players were in the referee's book on 61 minutes, Micheal Ricketts and Leon Clarke were both involved in handbags at dawn after Clarke had pulled Ricketts down in the far corner.
On 71 minutes North End Simon Whaley came on to replace Michael Ricketts as PNE switched back to a more orthodox 4-4-2 system.
Wednesday could have pulled one back on 75 minutes when the ball landed at Beevers' feet from a corner. Beevers' spun but his shot was two yards wide.
Wednesday were enjoying a good spell of pressure as the game entered the final phases. After MacLean had come on for Wade Small, Chris Brunt stepped up to hit a 30-yard free-kick that whistled just wide of Lonergan's right-hand post.
Brett Ormerod had a chance to put the game beyond doubt with just eight minutes on the clock. Again it came from a Nugent run down the left, this time Nugent cut the ball back and Ormerod just couldn't get the ball out from beneath his feet to get a shot away before it was blocked by Bullen.
Andy Lonergan pulled off a world class save in the 87th minute when Burton got a clear sight at goal and powered a volley towards goal. It was the Owls' first effort of the game and Lonergan did brilliantly to parry the ball away for a corner.
From the corner-kick Bullen arrived at the back post and his header had to be headed off the line by Matt Hill.
And that was the last action of the game, North End well worth the three points.
Wednesday: Crossley, Bullen, Lunt, Whelan, Tudgay, Burton, Brunt, Small, Simek, Beevers, Spurr. Subs: Adamson, MacLean, Clarke, Graham, Folly.
PNE: Lonergan, Alexander, Pugh, Sedgwick, Ricketts, Nugent, Chilvers, McKenna, Ormerod, Hill, Wilson. Subs: Dichio, St. Ledger, Henderson, Whaley, Neal.
