MORECAMBE suffered their first defeat of the pre-season campaign against a strong Preston side.

Sammy McIlroy's side started poorly and never recovered as North End stormed into an early 2-0 lead.

Sean St Ledger opened the scoring for the visitors after just three minutes after good work from Chris Sedgwick down the left hand side.

Four minutes later it was 2-0 with Sedgwick again the provider as he produced a fine left wing corner which was met by the head of former Carlisle man Karl Hawley.

North End continued to push forward with Neil Mellor making it 3-0 after 23 minutes with a coll finish after Sedgwick flicked on a roght wing cross.

Joe Anyinsah then came close to adding to the lead with a shot that hit the crossbar as the Shrimps struggled to sope with North End's attaking ambitions.

Despite being second best for long periods Morecambe came close themselves with trialist Chris Turner seeing a long range effort well saved by Andy Lonergan before the North End keeper reacted well to palm away a Henry McStay header.

The second half saw the Shrimps up their tempo with Neil Wainwright producing some good crosses.

Matty Blinkhorn headed one effort wide and came close to reaching another at the far post and Garry Hunter came close to scoring a late consolation after a clever through ball from Blinkhorn.

At the other end keeper Roche produced two stunning double saves to foil Chris Brown and Paul McKenna as he impressed the Shrimps' supporters on his home debut.

MORECAMBE: Roche, McCann, Howard, Bentley. McStay (rep Artell 46); Stanley (rep Blinkhorn 46), Turner (rep Hunter 39), Carr (rep Drummond 46) Wainwright. O'Carroll, Curtis. Sub not used: Davies

PNE: Longergan, Jones, Hill, St Ledger, Mawene, Carter, Anyinsah, Jarrett, Mellor, Hawley, Sedgwick. Subs used: L Neal, Davidson, Brown, Ormerod, Nicholson, Hart, McKenna, Chaplow, C Neal.

Att: 1,674.

MORECAMBE: Roche, McCann, Howard, Bentley. McStay; Stanley, Turner, Carr, Wainwright. O'Carroll, Curtis. Subs: Blinkhorn. Hunter, Parrish, Artell, Drummond.

PNE: Longergan, Jones, Hill, St Ledger, Mawene, Carter, Anyinsah, Jarrett, Mellor, Hawley, Sedgwick. Subs: L Neal, Davidson, Brown, Ormerod, Nicholson, Hart, McKenna, Chaplow, Neal.