Preston North End clinched their first league victory of the season as they beat Barnsley three nil at Oakwell in a fiercely contested match.

Paul Parry got the first goal in the 11th minute, his cool left foot finish enough to beat Luke Steele. A Neil Mellor volley put Preston two up before half time, whilst "The Beast" Jon Parkin added a third midway through the second half to seal the victory.

The Lilywhites made four changes from the side which drew 1-1 with Doncaster at the weekend. Top scorer Chris Brown made way for Jon Parkin up front whilst Liam Chilvers came in for the injured Youl Mawene at the back. Neil Mellor and Darren Carter also came into the side as Alan Irvine opted for a 4-4-2 formation in search of Preston's first league victory of the season.

Barnsley also had to make an enforced change at the back, Luke Potter stepping in for the suspended former PNE player Robert Kuzluk. There was also a place in Simon Davey's side for striker Iain Hume, who last season suffered a horrific fractured skull in a clash with Sheffield United's Chris Morgan. Meanwhile ex-PNE legend Jon Macken started from the bench.

It was the Tykes who got the match underway, but Preston were the team who started the game brighter. Both Wallace and Jones forcing the Barnsley defence into action in the first couple of minutes.

However as Preston looked to settle into the match, the dangerous Jamal Campbell-Ryce released Bobby Hassell down the right flank on four minutes for Barnsley, who floated over a dangerous looking cross which number nine Odejaye powered towards Lonergan's bottom left. However with the home fans on their feet, Lonergan managed to get down in time to push it around the post for a corner.

As both sides battled for control of the game the referee decided to take action. Jacob Butterfield was booked for a tackle on Darren Carter in the midfield, to the great displeasure of the Oakwell faithful.

The first goal of the game came on 11 minutes, and it was the recent arrival from Cardiff Paul Parry who scored it. It was Billy Jones who made the most of an advantage played by the referee to slide in Parry down the right flank. He then hit a sweet left foot shot in the top left corner of Luke Steele's goal to give the Lilywhite's a one nil lead.

The returning Iain Hume almost brought about an immediate response, were it not for Lonergan's fingertips deflecting his cross from the right out of the path of Barnsley's midfield runners.

Simon Davey's side continued to use the wings to turn to heat up on Preston, first Odejayi seeing his header go wide on 15 minutes, and the powerful Darren Moore getting underneath Iain Hume's corner three minutes later.

As the tackles flew in at a tasty encounter at Oakwell, it seemed a matter of time before the referee went to his pocket again, and on 24 minutes he did just that. Liam Chilvers the unlucky recipient this time for a handball on the right hand side.

This came on the back on a good little spell for Barnsley, highlighted by two Iain Hume free kicks into the box which were well defended by the PNE backline.

No team were obviously superior in the as the first half went on, with no clear chances being created. Preston's biggest threat looked to be from Parry on the right, as he looked for "The Beast" Jon Parkin in the middle on 30 minutes, but Luke Steele seemed to be catching everything that he came for.

The second goal came with Preston's second shot on goal in the 32nd minute. Parkin and Parry combined again to set up Neil Mellor for his second of the season. The Beast gave the ball to Parry in the box, who managed to direct his header to Neil Mellor six yards out, and the ex-Liverpool striker made no mistake with a brilliant right foot volley past Luke Steele for two nil.

The only reprise for the frustrated Tykes supporters came on 35 minutes, when after speaking to him several times, the referee booked Andy Lonergan for time wasting, much to the bemusement of Preston's travelling support.

Manager Alan Irvine with have been pleased to see his team try and press home their advantage in the closing stages of the second half, with some good work from Jon Parkin bringing Ross Wallace into the game, only for the linesman's flag to deny the winger a chance on 38 minutes.

Whilst at one end Preston could afford to miss their first chance of the game in the 42nd minute, a Shumulikoski shot from 25 yards going over, Barnsley were frustrated by the referee at the other. Odejayi was pulled up for using the Preston defenders to gain some leverage in the box.

It was Odejayi's mouth that eventually brought about his yellow card, deep into stoppage time. The striker had reacted badly to the referee's warning about persistent fouling to earn his place in the book as the last act of a fine half from Preston North End.

Neither manager felt the need to make any changes as Preston got the second half underway. Barnsley clearly hoping that they could begin to take the chances that they had been creating in the first half and get themselves back into the game.

Barnsley wasted their first chance to get back into things on 48 minutes. Iain Hume curled a free kick from the right into the Preston box which was met by the head of centre back Darren Moore. His header was down at Lonergan's feet, and the Preston keeper showed good reactions to dig the ball out as Moore thought he had scored.

Meanwhile going the other way, Paul Parry's quick feet were proving too much for Luke Potter at right-back, who's booking the fifth of the evening as he blocked Parry of on the right in the 53rd minute.

Although Barnsley were now seeing a lot of the ball, there didn't seem to be a way through for them. Butterfield mirrored what Anderson de Silva had done minutes earlier when he hit his shot wide of Lonergan's goal in the 59th minute.

Chilvers and St. Ledger, who was making his 200th league start were coping well at the back, but needed the help of Lonergan in the 60th minute, after the ball found its way over them both and Odejayi found himself in around the back, but the keeper managed to push it around his left hand post.

The first substitution of the evening came on 63 minutes, with Daniel Bogdanovic replacing the disappointing Adam Hamill. He nearly had an immediate impact, were it not for a magnificent block from Callum Davidson.

The Preston fans were on their feet again in the 69th minute, however it wasn't the third goal, it was Jon Macken entering the fray. The former PNE striker netted 74 goals in his time at Deepdale. Iain Hume was the man who made way for the striker.

They had barely sat down went the big man Jon Parkin netted Preston's third in the 72nd minute. A Billy Jones cross had found him free at the far post where he had time to take the ball down on his chest and fire right footed past Luke Steele.

Preston could then afford to make their first change of the night, with Chris Sedgwick replacing Paul Parry on the right wing.

Barnsley refused to be kept down though, Jon Macken and Odejayi testing Lonergan with shots to his left, Callum Davidson doing well to put off Odejayi in the 75th minute.
Davidson didn't need to do anything in the 79th minute however, as Odejayi completely missed the ball from three yards out, to sum up Barnsley's fortunes on the night.

Both teams then made substitutions on 80 minutes, goalscorer Jon Parkin being replaced by Chris Brown, and Butterfield making way for Martin Devaney. Shortly after Mellor left the field as Stephen Elliott came on in what was Preston's third and final change.

The closing stages of the match didn't bring much in the shape of chances, until the 88th minute, when substitute Stephen Elliott cut in on his right foot and had his shot deflected just wide of the Barnsley goal for a corner. The move followed the game's sixth booking, awarded to de Silva for a late challenge on Wallace.

As the game moved into the four allotted minutes of stoppage time, Barnsley still couldn't make their chances pay, and in the end it was Preston's Chris Brown who came closest to scoring when he unleashed a powerful left foot shot that Luke Steele did well to push wide.

The result will delight Alan Irvine, who's side remain unbeaten this season. It was a close game at times, with Preston's ability to take their chances at the crucial moments the telling difference between the two sides.

Barnsley: Luke Steele, Bobby Hassell, Luke Potter, Darren Moore, Stephen Foster (Captain), Jamal Campbell-Ryce, Anderson de Silva, Jacob Butterfield, Adam Hammill, Iain Hume, Kayode Odejayi. Subs: David Preece, Jon Macken, Daniel Bogdanovic, Martin Devaney, Onome Sodje, Mounir El Haimour.
Preston: Andy Lonergan, Callum Davidson (Captain), Velice Shumulikoski, Darren Carter, Liam Chilvers, Sean St. Ledger, Paul Parry, Billy Jones, Ross Wallace, Jon Parkin, Neil Mellor. Subs: Chris Sedgwick, Chris Brown, Barry Nicholson, Neil Trotman, Wayne Henderson, Eddie Nolan, Stephen Elliott.