Preston North End's reserve team cruised to a fine 4-0 win away at Macclesfield Town.
Their defeat to Accrington Stanley the previous week was soon forgotten when after five minutes captain and first team star Adam Barton put the Whites ahead before three second half headers, one of which from Barton, cleaned up Macclesfield.
Jamie Douglas bagged North End's second mid-way through the second half before Barton got his second to make it three goals to the good. And with only five minutes remaining substitute Matt Dudley completed the rout with another close range header.
The Whites produced a glorious chance after only 35 seconds when captain Barton found Neil Dougan whose deflected shot produced a fine save from former PNE keeper Jack Cudworth.
And just over a minute later centre-half Dominic Collins saw his header go wide after finding space in the box following a North End corner.
But Preston's early pressure was soon rewarded when on the five minute mark Barton put the Whites 1-0 up.
The youngster, who made his first team debut against Scunthorpe last season, made time in the area before controlling the ball and steering his shot past Cudworth in the Macclesfield goal.
And the Whites pressure didn't ease after finding the net early when Doyle Middleton, who had an assist in Barton's goal, fired a ball across the Silk Men's box but a White shirt couldn't get onto the end of it.
On the ten minute mark Irish winger Neil Dougan must've thought he had doubled Preston's lead but his cross goal drive was pushed wide by the fingertips of the outstretched keeper.
Reserve team manager Unsworth will have been pleased with his side's early pressure as the youngsters squandered yet another chance when Middleton's cross goal drive again failed to find a North End shirt.
Soon after Barton nearly doubled his tally but again Cudworth was equal to it palming his long range effort to safety. And five minutes later Spid, known as by his teammates, blazed another effort over the bar as the Whites pressure boiled over in the Town area.
Macclesfield's first chance of the game came from Vinny Mukendi on 25 minutes when the striker's long-range effort forced a fine low down save from Andreas Arestidou in the PNE goal.
Following North End's early dominance the remainder of the half was played out with little opportunities falling to either side with the best to note coming just before the break when Town's number 11 Colin Daniel saw his 25-yard effort fly wide of Arestidou's post.
After the interval the Lilywhites started as the did the first half creating a glorious opportunity early doors when Jamie Douglas latched onto a loose piece of defending from Macclesfield's Jason Beardsley but the forward hesitated and played in Dougan whose shot was superbly saved by Cudworth.
Seven minutes after the interval saw Middleton fire a ferocious drive into the side netting before another bout of Preston pressure resulted in Dougan creating another two scoring opportunities.
But on 68 minutes Macclesfield missed the best opportunity of the second period when Mukendi's close range effort found its way past the wrong side of the post.
And their miss was soon punished when, after only one minute, PNE extended their lead courtesy of a Douglas header. The Irish striker nodded in from close range following a cross from his compatriot Conor McLaughlin.
And on 77 minutes McLaughlin turned provider once again setting up Barton for his second and Preston's third. The right-back whipped in a curling ball which was met by Barton six yards out to power home with his head.
After a triple North End substitution on the 80 minute mark, which saw two goal scorer Barton replaced by first year scholar Matt Dudley, North End began to press and substitute Dudley got in on the spoils straight away.
Good work down the North End left from Reece James, bother of first team star Matt James, provided Dudley with Preston's fourth - yet another head from close range! A tribute must be paid to North End's full-backs who produced delightful balls into the box for three of Preston's four.
The remainder of the match was played out in style with North End keeping possession as Moss Rose which highlighted Preston's dominance from start to finish.
PNE: Arestidou; McLaughlin, Devine (Holtom, 80), Collins, R. James; Middleton, Clucas (Clark, 79), Miller, Dougan; Barton (Dudley, 80), Douglas.
Unused Subs: Comrie, El-Harrati.
Macclesfield: Cudworth, Lowe, Moss, Chalmers (Montgomery, 84), Thomas, Beardsley, Draper, Roberts, Mukendi, Daniels, Daniel (Cook, 79).
Unused Subs: Meachin.
