PRESTON proved what they can be capable of when everything falls into place.

But while the win will certainly have boosted confidence around Deepdale - and hopefully have a knock-on effect with the attendance figures - it has to be remembered that Preston were playing one of the league's worst sides, and even they will admit they were having an off-day.

Still, it was comfort for the 12,000-odd Deepdale fans to see a Lilywhite defence comfortably handle an opposition to the point where it was decided Rob Edwards - one of last week's villains - should be given man of the match.

But the man Preston really have to thank for their victory is Grimsby player manager Paul Groves.

After Eric Skora and Chris Lucketti both had shots blocked, Groves handed Preston the lead.

His back-pass to keeper Danny Coyne was chased up by David Healy. He was felled in the area by Coyne and Alexander duely converted the penalty.

It was Preston all the way - save for a John Oster shot - after that, and Groves was again to blame for Preston's second.

He clumsily gave the ball away to Cresswell who ran up the field, around Grimsby's defence before unleashing a 25 yard shot on 26 minutes which Coyne could not stop.

Even after Skora left the field with a bruised ankle, Preston dominated, and they grabbed their third on 59 minutes when Healy volleyed home from 18 yards.

And things went from bad to worse for Grimsby when Alan Pouton was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 76th minute. He had been booked 20 minutes earlier and the referee had no hesitation in showing him the red card.

Dickson Etuhu could have added a fourth for Preston in the 82nd minute but his close-range header from a Lewis corner went wide of the left-hand post.

PNE 3 GRIMSBY 0