PNE 1 Hearts 2

Simon Whaley scored North End's only goal of the game as they lost 2-1 to Champions League Hearts in sweltering temperatures at Deepdale.

Two early lapses of concentration allowed Hearts to take a two goal lead inside the opening 20 minutes but for the remaining 70 North End looked to be progressing well after just two weeks of pre season training.

Hearts are well ahead of the home side in terms of preparation, with their pre season campaign due to kick off in just over a weeks time and in the early part that showed but North End whose only other games have come against Northern Premier League sides Chorley and Bamber Bridge, quickly adjusted to cope with the physical threat of the SPL runners up.

The big news for Preston fans was the long awaited return of goalkeeper Andy Lonergan, who made his first start in nine months after he was named in the starting lineup, with Carlo Nash playing the second half.

Liam Chilvers and Danny Pugh also made their home debuts but Sean St Ledger is still waiting to pull on a Lilywhites shirt as he recovers from a slight injury.

David Nugent and Danny Dichio were the preferred strike pairing and after just three minutes had already had a couple of decent chances, firstly with Nugent cutting in from the right and in space in the box but the cover tackler was there to save the danger.

But three minutes later it was the opposition who should have taken the lead, Chilvers was caught in possession right in front of goal, Mikoliunas took the ball to the goal-line and drilled a shot at Lonergan, the ball was spilled right into the path of .

13 minutes in and Hearts took the lead, a speculative ball over the top caught the North End defence off guard and Roman Bednar strolled through unchallenged in the left channel before slotting it low past Andy Lonergan.

Five minutes later it was 2-0 to the Scottish Cup winners, Saulius Mikoliunas picked up the ball on the edge of the North End box on the right, danced around three would be PNE challenges before smashing the ball past a helpless Lonergan.

North End's first real shot on goal came in the 23rd minute when Graham Alexander received a ball from Simon Whaley in the centre of the park, he cut inside onto his right foot and let rip from 30 yards out, but the ball flew over Steve Bank's bar.

After the first two goals PNE played the majority of their football in Hearts territory and on 33 minutes North End's possession paid off. Simon Whaley it was who broke the deadlock for the Lilywhites, he picked up the ball on the edge of the box, hit a shot that was deflected straight back at him and this time he had a clearer sight at goal, Whaley took a touch and blasted one which Banks did well to save with his feet, Whaley was there again for the rebound and this time he wasn't to be denied as he poked the ball past the keeper into the empty net. Whaley took a heavy knock from the keeper for his troubles but after a couple of minutes treatment from the physio he was back on his feet.

Fantastic football from North End in the 41st minute almost brought the equaliser. Nugent and McKenna combined brilliantly down the middle of the pitch before McKenna delivered a wonderful ball to the back post where Danny Pugh was waiting to unleash a sweetly hit volley straight at goal, Banks did well to parry it away.

There were only two changes at the break with Carlo Nash going between the sticks in place of Andy Lonergan and Danny Dichio being replaced by Patrick Agyemang. Hearts brought Ibrahima Tall for Stephen Pressley.

North End had a decent opportunity three minutes in to the second half when Agyemang and Nugent linked well down the left, Nugent turned his man and played a ball towards Simon Whaley who was unmarked in acres of space, unfortunately for the PNE wing man he failed to get the ball under control and the chance went begging.

Hearts had the ball in the back of the net on 54 minutes when Mikoliunas flicked a wonderful ball into the path of Bednar, the big striker smashed the ball into the back of the net but the flag was already up before the ball left his boot.

It was an all action opening 10 minutes and on 55 minutes Nugent had a sight on goal after a ball from Agyemang cut the Hearts defence in two, Nugent's first touch took him away from goal though and his shot was well blocked on the turn.

Hearts made a second change on 58 minutes when Fyssas was replaced by Tiago Costa, a trialist.

Hearts will feel that they may have had a good penalty claim turned down in the 59th minute, Youl Mawene and Bednar grappling in the six yard box, Bednar fell to the ground but the referee was having none of it.

Seconds later up the other end of the field North End had a good chance. Danny Pugh refused to surrender control of the ball on the edge of the box and he eventually invited the challenge which earned a free-kick. The free-kick was taken quickly to Paul McKenna on the edge of the box, he drilled a shot which went five yards wide.

On 64 minutes Liam Chilvers was replaced by Lewis Neal and Chris Sedgwick came on for Simon Whaley.

Carlo Nash pulled off a magnificent save in the 68th minute. Hearts won a free-kick on the left and whipped in a great ball in the box where Tall lived up to his name to flick a header which looked like a goal all the way, before Nash's left arm arrived from nowhere to palm the ball wide.

PNE made a triple substitution on 72 minutes , O'Neil, Hibbert and Stock all came on for McKenna, Jarrett and Nugent.

A half chance for North End on 77 minutes, Patrick Agyemang created it with a jinking run towards goal, he failed to find space for a shot so instead played it wide to Sedgwick who whipped in a cross in and Hibbert failed to get his head on the ball. The ball went wide left and Pugh scrambled a ball back into the box and Stock found loads of space inside the box but his volley, though powerful, was over the bar.

Another good chance for Preston came in the 81st minute, a corner was delivered in from the right and somehow Kelvin Wilson found himself unmarked eight yards out, he stooped low to head but his effort was deflected wide for a goal kick.

PNE: Lonergan, Wilson, Alexander, Jarrett, Mawene, Chilvers, Whaley, McKenna, Dichio, Nugent, Pugh. Subs; O'Neil, Nash, Sedgwick, Neal, Stock, Agyemang, Hibbert
Hearts: Banks, Neilson, Fyssas, Pressley, Berra, Brellier, Driver, Mikoliunas, Bednar, Aguiar, Pospisil. Subs: McDonald, Beslija, Makela, Johnson, Neill, Mole,