Preston North End U19s secured a 5-3 victory away from home against Wrexham in the Youth Alliance league.
Goals from Troy Tarry, Izac Khan and a hat-trick from Felipe Rodriguez-Gentile brought all three points back to Springfields.
The first minute saw U16s goalkeeper Li-Bau Stowell required to make an early save after a Wrexham attack, but from then on the Lilywhites sprung into action to find an opener.
Six minutes in saw a fantastic cross from Kacper Pasiek find captain Max Wilson in the box, but his header went just over the bar.
Ten minutes later, however, Rodriguez-Gentile broke the deadlock, having made a sharp turn to his left in the box before floating the ball into the back of the net.
The next half hour saw PNE continue to pile on the pressure. A long-range effort from Wilson forced a save from the Wrexham ‘keeper, while Pasiek’s attempt from the corner of the box flew just over the top right corner.
Rodriguez-Gentile and Wilson then linked up in the 44th minute to set up Tarry down the right, whose cross into the box took a deflection and found the top right corner of goal.
Two up heading into half-time, PNE came back out on the front foot and took just seven minutes to find their third.
It was Izac Khan this time who calmly slotted into the bottom left corner of goal following a knock on from the Wrexham ‘keeper.
The 59th minute saw the hosts pull one back, but North End were to find their fourth seven minutes later, as Rodriguez-Gentile dribbled through a tight defence to fire a pinpoint shot straight down the middle of goal.
As if a brace wasn’t enough, a third was to follow for the young Argentine, as just four minutes later he chipped the ball over the ‘keeper to make it five for PNE.
The Lilywhites looked to see out the rest of the game with minimal trouble, and managed to do so during the full 90 played.
However, Wrexham pulled two goals back in as many minutes during additional time, but the full-time whistle blew and a 5-3 result for Preston North End ensured they stayed at the top of the table, with a game in hand over second-placed Accrington Stanley.
PNE U19s line-up: Stowell, Blake, Pasiek (Nolan, 77), Horan (Carroll, 62), McGhee (Muir, 77), Brindle, Tarry, Kamara, Rodriguez-Gentile, Wilson, Khan (T.Mawene, 62).