Memory match: Preston North End’s victory over Nottm Forest in 2002 is not enough

It was an early finish to the campaign due to the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea starting in June, with Forest’s visit coming on Sunday, April 21.

For North End to have made the top six they needed a victory and for both Norwich and Burnley ahead of them in the table to lose.

They kept their side of the bargain, Mark Rankine and Richard Cresswell scoring in a 2-1 victory.

However, Burnley and Norwich both won to make PNE’s win academic in terms of extending the season.

Kelham O’Hanlon was in caretaker charge of the side, David Moyes having left for Everton the previous month.

O’Hanlon had overseen eight games, winning four, drawing one and losing three.

He had hoped to land the job full-time but it was to go to Craig Brown.

A crowd of more than 17,300 were inside Deepdale to see if PNE could make the play-offs for a second season running.

They saw Forest have the better of the first half with Marlon Harewood causing Michael Jackson and Sean Gregan all kinds of problems.

Eugen Boop forced North End keeper Tepi Moilanen into a good save before the visitors took the lead with half an hour played.

Jack Lester’s pinpoint ball played Harewood clear of the North End defence.

Harewood moved into the box, went round Moilanen and slotted the ball into the empty net.

Chances fell to Clyde Wijnhard and Paul McKenna to equalise, while Harewood fired wide as Forest pushed for a second.

O’Hanlon appeared to have given his side a shake-up at half-time, with PNE going on to boss the second half.

Wijnhard headed wide from a good position and it started to look like this wasn’t going to be Preston’s day.

A double substitution in the 68th minute saw Rankine and David Healy replace Michael Keane and Wijnhard.

Within five minutes the Lilywhites had pulled level through Rankine.

Cresswell set it up, playing a nice pass into Rankine’s path and the midfielder tucked a good finish into the bottom corner.

North End worked up a head of steam and pushed for a winner.

Their second goal arrived in the 88th minute to bring the home supporters to their feet. Healy chased a pass down the right-hand channel and put over a fine cross which Cresswell slid in to meet at the far post.

Thoughts turned to how Norwich and Burnley were getting on, and once back in the changing rooms North End found they had just missed out on the top six.

The players returned to the pitch for a lap of thanks before starting their summer holidays.

By the time they returned, Brown had been installed as manager with Billy Davies his assistant – O’Hanlon stayed on the staff.

The last three Deepdale meetings between North End and Forest have finished in draws.

PNE’s last home win over the City Ground outfit was in November 2015 when an Eoin Doyle goal gave them a 1-0 victory.

In the main though, their Deepdale record is very good against Forest since the 2000/01 season.

Before that campaign, their last meeting had been in the 1972/73 season in the old Second Division.