The previous lack of goals and victories at home now suddenly seems like a bizarre dream after North End destroyed Southampton with the kind of performance that made them realistic promotion chasers this time last season.

A brace from sub Patrick Agyemang put the icing on a cake that was baked with earlier goals from Karl Hawley, Darren Carter and Chris Sedgwick - the former two netting their first strikes for the Club.

A slow opening to the game favoured North End who enjoyed the larger share of possession, but they burst into life on ten minutes when a low curling shot from Kevin Nicholls produced a good stop from keeper Kelvin Davis.

Barely a minute later, Nicholls again showed his willingness to cause trouble in and around the box - with a fantastic end result. A neat ball from the edge of the 'D' slipped Paul Gallagher into space, and though Davis beat away his initial angled shot, Karl Hawley slid in from six yards out to turn the loose ball over the line.

Hawley's first Preston goal seemed to provide a perfect lift for the crowd and players alike, and some confident football was a pleasure to see.

That man Nicholls was often at the heart of things, and nearly curled a second PNE goal from long range after his header evaded everyone in the box, including intended target Youl Mawene - but also the far post too.

The post again proved to be a few inches in the wrong direction when another good chance fell the way of Liam Chilvers. Packing the box in anticipation of a Darren Carter free kick, the swirling left footed ball ended up missing the goal frame by the narrowest of margins after a slight re-direction off the centre half's head.

Though Southampton countered with a header from Marek Saganowski that narrowly cleared the bar, it was North End that continued to create the openings, with Carter's corner evading everyone as the hosts pressed for a second.

A controversial free kick - awarded against Matt Hill for blocking on the edge of the box - seemed to be the perfect opening for a Saints leveller, but Andrew Surman curled the free kick aimlessly over the bar from 20 yards. Hilly was clearly aggrieved at the original decision, and earned a booking for dissent long after the ball had sailed into the Town End.

Billy Jones reciprocated by sending a set piece into the Kop - but this was a far better effort. In a near-identical repeat of Callum Davidson's second strike at Cardiff, a square ball from Carter gave the right back something to run onto, but he couldn't quite get the accuracy shown by his team-mate ten days earlier and narrowly cleared the bar from the best part of 35 yards.

In a list of North End's most unlikely goalscorers, Liam Chilvers would probably rank quite highly, but once again he posed questions of the home defence as he headed wide from the influential Carter's corner.

Attacking triangles seemed to be particularly potent from open play, and again it was Carter and Nicholls that combined to create a good opportunity for Hawley to show his worth. The skipper's final ball found the nippy striker with his back to goal, and after spinning on a sixpence he produced a fine sprawling save from Davis.

Play was halted temporarily when Davis landed awkwardly when collecting the ball from a corner, but he was well enough to continue. Upon the re-start, a route one approach nearly proved the ideal way to catch the visiting defence cold, with Andy Lonergan's deep ball up field turned narrowly past the post by the advancing Gallagher.

Lonergan looked sharp again as a low stop prevented Rasiak's well-hit shot from sneaking inside the post, but after a mix-up between the referee and his assistant - each claiming to have seen events differently as the keeper aimed to smother the ball as it drifted towards the dead-ball line - a controversial corner was awarded. It nearly proved costly as Saganowski turned it goalwards and Lonergan stumbled, but Carter was well-placed on the near post to hack it clear.

With the Hampshire side growing in confidence, a wicked ball from Nathan Dyer on the right flank caused confusion, but Rasiak's low drive was excellently blocked by Lonergan.

Dyer's cross seemed to be a taste of things to come, as another superb swerving ball from the flank brought a leveller in first half stoppage time - the ball deflected into his own goal by Billy Jones as he looked to cut off the supply to the waiting Saganowski.

The goal was cruel on PNE, who thought they were due a half time lead, but Jones tried his best to make amends just moments after the re-start. Carter's corner was once again played into just the right areas, and the full back rose well to connect with his head, but yet another chance squirmed wide of the metalwork.

Darren Carter was instrumental in so much of North End's play throughout the night, and therefore it was apt that it was he that gave the lead back to the home side - although not quite how he intended. Referee Graham Laws pointed to the spot when he adjudged Wayne Thomas to have fouled Gallagher from above - the centre half taking out the striker around the shoulder as he chased a through ball - and Carter assumed the penalty taking duty.

His first effort - low to Davis' right - didn't beat the keeper thanks to a smart stop, but luckily the force behind the initial strike meant the ball rebounded kindly, and he beat the prone glovesman with cool confidence.

A third goal could - and should - have been forthcoming from the boot of Hawley, who twisted and turned beautifully inside the box, but enjoyed no luck when his shot swerved away rather than inwards as he aimed for the top corner.

Instead, Hawley had to be content with a supporting role when the third goal finally came fifteen minutes from time - and what a role he played. A floated ball from the left hand side of the box showed great vision, and running onto the cross was Chris Sedgwick, who directed his header perfectly into the bottom left corner.

He should have made it four when Carter's cross somehow made it through a melee of bodies in the box, but he snatched at the shot and ended up playing it square rather than finding the target.

Seven minutes from time, with the game slipping away from the south coast side, they made sure the points would stay in the north as they completely switched off at the back. Christian Dailly merely stood and watched as Jones floated a ball over the top, and substitute Patrick Agyemang - on to replace the impressive Gallagher - was far more alert, beating Davis to the bounce and flicking it over his head into an empty net.

Andrew Surman gave Preston brief cause for concern with a looping header that Lonergan did brilliantly to tip over, but it was all academic as Patrick Agyemang met another through ball from fellow sub Neil Mellor and chipped another cracker over Davis in the final seconds of stoppage time.

A fantastic team display earned the victory it so richly deserved.

PNE: Lonergan, Jones, Mawene, Chilvers, Hill (sub Lewis Neal 90), Sedgwick, Nicholls, Davidson, Carter, Hawley (sub Mellor 87), Gallagher (sub Agyemang 71). Subs not used: Chris Neal, St Ledger.

Saints: Davis, Ifil, Thomas, Dailly, Ostlund (sub Wright 66), Dyer, Safri, Viafara (sub Euell 66), Surman, Saganowski (sub John 74), Rasiak. Subs not used: Bialkowski, Idiakez.

Booked: Hill (25), Davidson (54), Sedgwick (66); Ostlund (34)

Attendance: 10, 279

Referee: Mr G Laws