Preston North End recorded their biggest ever League Cup victory when they put Sammy McIlroy's League Two outfit to the sword with a powerful display.

Alan Irvine's side cruised to victory on a damp Deepdale night but the outcome could have been so much different had keeper Andy Lonergan saved a penalty with the scores at 0-0.

The Shrimps made a bright start to the game and squandered two or three half chances before Craney was bundled over in the box. Duffy could have made himself a hero from the spot but Andy Lonergan guessed the right way and from there on in it was all North End.

Chris Brown nodded home two minutes later, before Stephen Elliott doubled the advantage on the stroke of half-time. Barry Nicholson made it three when he stooped home to head home on 56 minutes. Neal Trotman scored with his touch of the game to make it 4-0 before fellow sub Neil Mellor wrapped up the victory in added time.

There was just time before the end of the game for Morecambe to put a blot on North End's copybook when Twiss scrambled home from close range with virtually the last kick of the game.

Both sides were hardly recognisable from the teams which they had put out on the opening day of the season, Alan Irvine making a total of seven changes whilst the Shrimps were nursing injuries and illness to send out a weakened side.

Alan Irvine had warned that the team from down the road would come to play football and that's exactly what they did, the match shaping up for some great football from the off.

Seven minutes in and Morecambe's bright start to the game almost brought rewards when Laurence Wilson sent a cross towards the six yard box, Twiss had pulled away from his marker and had a header at goal which spun off his head, any real purchase on the ball and Lonergan would have been tested.

North End responded with their own chance, Hart lobbing the ball into the box where Nicholson had got well forward, the Scottish midfielder had his back to goal but found Brown on the edge of the box. Brown went for placement over power and would have found the bottom corner but for a fingertip save from Barry Roche.

Another cross from the right almost caught North End out, this time Wilson lost his marker and should probably have done better with header, the Shrimps playing some real neat football after just ten minutes.

Chris Sedgwick showed his finest trickery on the right flank on 17 minutes when he turned Morecambe skipper Danny Adams this way and that before drilling in a low, left-footed effort that was aimed towards Elliott but well cleared by Craig Stanley.

Some good build-up play from North End on 23 minutes saw Carter receive the ball 25-yards from goal, his options were limited but he managed to find just enough space to hit a shot, which was deflected but Roche did well to save.

Drama at Deepdale on the half-hour mark, Ian Craney barged his way into the North End box with the ball at his feet and neither Lonergan and Mawene could get near him, Lonergan it was who came out to meet him and the wet turf seemed to take the keeper into Craney's path. The referee didn't signal but the linesman on the Finney side had seen enough of the incident to wave furiously and award a penalty to the visitors.

Mark Duffy it was who stepped up to take the spot-kick, but he was to be denied by Andy Lonergan, the keeper's second penalty save in three home matches.

Four minutes later and the ball was in the net at the other end of the pitch. Great work by Hart and Elliott on the right flank, Elliott lobbing the ball into the path of Hart, the Scottish full-back, goalside of defence, Hart lobbed the ball into the six-yard box and Chris Brown got enough on the ball, though surrounded by two defenders to turn the ball past Roche.

The goal lifted North End's spirits and they were clearly on top as the game entered the final ten minutes of the first half. Sedgwick again the danger man again, he delivered a ball into the path of Carter on the edge of the box, he looked up and saw Wallace to his left, the Scotsman was found and he drilled a low shot at goal which took a deflection off David Artell before just clearing the crossbar.

Billy Jones getting forward well almost got his first goal of the season, it came after Brown and Carter had exchanged passes on the left, Carter played the ball in and Jones arrived late on to the ball, his header forcing Roche into a flying save.

On the stroke of half-time Stephen Elliott almost created a goal for himself out of nothing, Mawene released him over the half-way line and the Irishman set-off towards goal, he got to the edge of the box and had Chris Brown in space to his left but opted to turn inside the defender, the goal was at his mercy but a last gasp touch from Will Haining took it away for a corner.

But Elliott got his reward seconds later when Wallace received the ball from the corner-kick and the delivery from the Scotsman into the box was perfect, Elliott with a glancing header just could not miss the target to make it 2-0

Chris Sedgwick minus his first-half bandages showed the first piece of promise in the second period of the game, giving Adams a torrid before drilling a low shot towards the near post that Roche did well to get down to.

Morecambe had a fantastic chance to get themselves back into the game on 51 minutes, Darren Moss whipping in a great cross, the PNE defence had pushed out for offside but the linesman's flag just wasn't raised, David Artell had the freedom of the box, he could have taken it down but opted for a first time header that was just inches wide with Lonergan rooted to the spot.

The third goal of the evening came on 56 minutes, Ross Wallace playing a tantalising ball across the face of goal, it was begging to be slammed home, Barry Nicholson timed his run to perfection and went in low to nod the ball past Roche.

A good move on 62 minutes almost brought the fourth of the night. Chris Sedgwick tucking inside ran at the Morecambe defence before a deft flick released Carter into the box on the right, it was probably on Carter's wrong side but he still managed to power the ball across the face of goal with his right boot.

That Carter-Sedgwick combination on the right almost brought rewards again this time Carter in the box squared the ball into the path of Elliott, he span and shot and his effort was just turned over the cross-bar.

Neal Trotman was on as a 68th minute substitute for Youl Mawene and his first touch of the game was a goal! The former Oldham man barged his way onto a Barry Nicholson corner and powered a header beyond a beleagered Roche.

Trotman almost grabbed his second of the night on 71 minutes, the big defender rose highest to a Carter ball at the back post and powered a header back across goal, Roche was planted to the spot but the ball easily cleared the crossbar.

Chris Sedgwick had had a fine game getting forward at every opportunity and on 77 minutes he cut inside on to his left boot and attempted to curl one beyond Roche, the Morecambe keeper, did well to parry the ball away.

Stephen Elliott had been awarded the sponsors' man of the match award and he wanted more than that. Carter burst towards the box and played a neat ball into the path of Elliott, who with Morecambe men at close quarters he dug out a shot that Roche gathered at the second attempt.

The fifth and final goal of the evening for North End came two minutes into added time, Sedgwick darting past two challenges and dinking the ball into the box, Trotman was there to nod the ball into the path of Neil Mellor who took no time at all in place the ball beyond the reach of Roche.

There was still time for one more goal though, small consolation for Sammy McIlroy's men, Michael Twiss pouncing on a moment's indecision from Liam Chilvers before hitting the ball low under Andy Lonergan.

It was Preston's biggest win in the League Cup and with five more different scorers to add to the two from Saturday it was encouraging to see PNE spreading the goals around ahead of Saturday's trip to Doncaster.