Preston continued their fine cup form as they maintained a 100 per cent record in knockout competitions for the campaign in a five-goal victory over near neighbours Bolton Wanderers in the Lancashire Cup.
In a game played at their alternate home venue, Preston Sports Arena, North End started strongly and scored their first goal after just five minutes. Good link up play between Sarah McCrea and Louise Cafferkey down the left produced a cross, finished by Hannah Bailey.
On ten minutes, Preston captain Sarah Berry shot wide, followed by a strike which went over the bar. 15 minutes in, Laura Walker produced a cross for Anisha Bateman, her attempt on goal gathered with ease by the Bolton keeper Olivia Fay.
Fay was alert in the following minute pushing a McCrea strike wide for a corner which was headed over by central defender Louise Belcher, while the visiting keeper was again called into action on 20 minutes pushing a Laura Walker shot wide. Fay's busy afternoon continued as she blocked a Sarah McCrea header following a Bateman corner which Bolton failed to clear effectively.
Bolton's rare forays forward were well dealt with by the Lilywhites backline, with most of the pressure on the opposite end. In the 26th minute, a McCrea free kick just outside the box went over the bar with Berry then shooting over after Laura Walker had played the ball back to her.
Bolton found the back of the net just before the half hour but the goal was disallowed. North End keeper Danielle Gibbons had gathered the ball but was impeded when doing so as the Bolton striker finished.
Trotters keeper Fay produced another excellent save on the half hour mark when one-on-one with McCrea. A Laura Walker corner was then cleared off the line before Preston's perseverance was eventually rewarded in the 34th minute with Bailey winning a corner delivered by McCrea and headed home by Bateman.
Just before the interval, Bolton got back into the game with Nat Turner striking from outside the box into the bottom corner, giving Gibbons no chance.
At half time Preston captain Berry was replaced by Mel Martin and the first action of the half saw a Bateman ball played into McCrea smothered by the alert Fay with Bolton then finding the back of the net again but the officials adjudged the strike to have been offside.
Further chances fell to McCrea who was finally rewarded in the 65th minute when her shot from outside the box hit the back of the net.
Vikki Eastwood and Martin then both shot over with Preston manager Anthony Chattell making his second substitution on 70 minutes, Mel Bartley replacing Cafferkey.
Gibbons in goal for Preston was then called into action and came out well to smoother a Bolton through ball before substitute Bartley played a part in the fourth goal on 75 minutes, playing a ball through to Walker who saw her shot parried by Fay for Bailey to tap in.
Bartley then wrapped up the game with the fifth goal three minutes later, picking up a pass from McCrea and finishing from outside the box into the top right hand corner.
PNE had other opportunities before the whistle with Fay saving a McCrea shot and punching clear an Alison Taberner cross but the score was to remain at 5-1.
The home side therefore progress to the next stage on 16th November with an away fixture against Wigan Athletic Ladies and Girls who booked their place in the next round with an 8-1 victory against Lytham St Annes YMCA.
PNE: Danielle Gibbons, Alison Taberner, Sarah Jones, Louise Belcher, Vikki Eastwood, Laura Walker, Anisha Bateman, Sarah Berry (sub Mel Martin 46), Louise Cafferkey (sub Mel Bartley 70), Sarah McCrea, Hannah Bailey.
