NORTH End's unbeaten run was ripped apart by Barnet on Saturday, leaving boss Gary Peters to pick up the pieces of the promotion jig-saw.

What looked like a rollercoaster ride to promotion has become something of a rocky ride. Preston must now react swiftly to avoid getting derailed altogether.

Barnet were well prepared for the visit of the country's top-scoring goal-machine and didn't allow PNE a solitary shot on target for the entire 90 minutes. The 4-5-1 formation that worked to such devastating effect against Cardiff didn't really back-fire - it didn't even fire!

Andy Saville ploughed a lone furrow up-front to no avail and was left to battle away by himself on an afternoon that North End would rather forget about.

Barnet got the crucial break in the 66th minute. A poor clearance by David Moyes gave Paul Wilson the chance to knock in the killer goal and he accepted it gratefully. The last remaining unbeaten away record in English football breathed its last.

After clocking up 21 games without defeat, North End were breathing down the back of the Invincible's incredible 23 match record set in 1889. A poor performance, a disastrous day, it was left to Barnet to knock the life out of Preston's record-breaking tilt.

Breaking records doesn't worry Gary Peters. Gaining points is what matters most to Division Three's most determined manager. He said: "Records don't take you into a higher division. I'm only bothered about picking up points."

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