Preston's women beat Aston Villa with an emphatic 4-0 victory at the QED Stadium to claim their third win on the bounce.

North End grabbed this latest win thanks to a brace from Gemma Watson and goals from Laura Walker and Sarah Walker.

Chris Stammers' side have now scored eight goals in the last two games and he has seen his team look increasingly dangerous in the final third.

However, PNE's manager will be more pleased with his defence keeping their first clean sheet since November, when they beat Rotherham by the same score line as this latest effort.

The complexion of the game could have been different when Preston conceded a penalty in the second minute.

Aston Villa's Emma Follis found herself one-on-one with Emma Reader who brought her down, resulting in the referee pointing to the spot. But Reader made amends for this by expertly saving Natalie Courtney's penalty and ensuring her side weren't dealt an early blow.

This seemed to have been a wake up call for Reader and her team mates and it wouldn't be long until they found themselves dealing Villa a huge blow in retaliation.

In the eighth minute, Laura Walker and Watson produced a quick one-two from a corner and Walker played in a dangerous cross that was travelling towards the target. This ball managed to deceive Nicola Kuch in Villa's goal and give North End an early lead.

Walker's goal seemed to prompt a barrage of Preston attacks with Hannah Bailey, Sam Cadwallader and Watson constantly finding themselves in space in behind Villa's defenders.

The Lilywhites had a spring in their step and doubled their lead in the 23rd minute when Vikki Eastwood played in Watson who found herself one-on-one with Kuch. Watson had all the time in the world to pick her spot and she coolly stroked the ball into the bottom corner to make sure that her side's constant pressure paid off.

The second half followed the same pattern as the first, North End winning the ball at the back and releasing to the forward players who outnumbered Villa's defenders to carve out chance after chance.

By this time Stammers' team were playing well together, keeping the ball on the ground and creating good chances. But Preston's third goal was all about individual class.

Cadwallader took a quick throw to Watson who turned her marker and volleyed on her weaker left side from 25 yards out which lobbed Kuch in Villa's goal. This was a massive blow to the away side who had been pestered by Watson all afternoon.

Preston scored their last goal in the 74th minute when Sarah Walker found space in the penalty area, had her first two shots blocked but found the composure to slot the ball in on the third time of asking.

Preston travel to Newcastle next Sunday in the hope of continuing their good form and Stammers' side will be looking to put their recent 5-0 defeat against the Magpies behind them.

PNE: Reader, Belcher (Taberner, 46), Jones, Martin, Watson, Cadwallader (S. Walker, 62), Bailey (Craig, 65), Berry, L. Walker, Blackett, Eastwood.

Villa: Kuch, Vaughan, Wilton, Petrovic, Saggs, Sharred (H. Goffe, 57), Follis, Merritt, Selmes (Farrow, 61), Courtney, Clarke. Unused Subs: Denslow, L. Goffe, Packer.

Report by Treve Whitford. Photos by Karen Browne.