Preston recorded only their second home win of the season thanks to a brace from Jon Macken, the second coming as a late, late heartbreaker for United after the U's had weathered the early storm and taken a first half lead through top scorer Martin Butler.

There were two changes to United's starting line-up this afternoon as Scott Eustace replaced Marc Joseph and Ben Chenery returned at right-back to take the place of suspended midfielder Neil Mustoe. But there were positional changes too as Ian "Mr Versatile" Ashbee switched to left back allowing Jamie Cassidy to return to his preferred midfield position, and on loan striker Darren Byfield played a slightly deeper than normal role on the right of the attack. Meanwhile, Preston's strength in depth was reflected by the names on their substitutes bench.

The weather in Preston was very cold as the game kicked-off but after a constant downpour yesterday at least the rain had stopped. United were wearing amber shorts instead of the usual black today.

Preston started brightly and put Cambridge under pressure from the off, and after just half a minute Macken got away to feed Mark Rankine who fired a shot over from just inside the six yard box After four minutes Macken got away again but his left-wing cross was cut out by Eustace who slid the ball just wide of his own post.

On ten minutes Byfield and Benjamin combined but Benjamin's cross from the right was cut out just in front of the raiding Ashbee. Preston lost Ryan Kidd to injury a minute later, and Northern Ireland 'B' international Colin Murdock replaced him. For United, Jamie Cassidy looked much happier on the left of midfield and he and Martin Butler combined in the 14th minute to break away before the chance was cleared, but United kept the pressure on with a shot on the turn from Butler a minute later.

Jon Macken was a constant threat with his quick breakaways and twice in four minutes he set up Mathie with good crosses into the area, but Duncan blocked the first chance and Eustace the second. Then Arjan Van Heusden was called upon to save brilliantly from Macken himself in the 32nd minute when the forward headed at goal from six yards.

United took a healthy following to Deepdale this afternoon, estimated from the press box to exceed 300, and they had cause to celebrate long and loud when the U's took the lead after 36 minutes. Martin Butler has scored in the last three games, all from the penalty spot in the second half, but he broke the trend this afternoon when Scott Paterson's free kick was flicked on by Benjamin to allow the unmarked Butler to head home his eighth of the season from six yards.

Having scored much against the run of play, United then managed to avoid the increasingly familiar trick of conceding shortly after scoring and played a measured and balanced game until half time, while the home fans became increasingly restless at their team's inability to break through. (Half time 0-1)

United barely got out of their own half in the early stages of the second half, although the pattern of play showed Scott Paterson as an effective deep-lying midfielder alongside Paul Wanless in a central position. However Preston went close early in the half when McKenna's long range shot stung Van Heusden's hands but the Dutchman recovered in time to stop the ball crossing the line, and they made the pressure pay with an equaliser after 56 minutes. Graham Alexander slid the ball through to Cartwright who whipped a cross onto the head of the dangerous Jon Macken, who glanced the ball wide of Van Heusden.

Roy McFarland reacted immediately by sending on war horse John Taylor in place of the out of sorts Byfield, who was roundly boo-ed off by the home fans. Taylor played on the right of midfield and the slight change in formation tightened things up for United. In the 67th minute it was Taylor whose ball put Butler through, the hard-working striker slipped his defender but his shot was blocked to Chenery just outside the area, and his cross found skipper Paul Wanless whose downward header was blocked low down by Moilanen.

United looked slightly more solid at the back than they have in many recent performances although Scott Eustace looked rather slow and short of match fitness, and the travelling fans might have started to entertain thoughts of a welcome away point against a tidy Preston side. There were a couple of late half chances for each side, the first with seven minutes left when Cassidy was put in by Butler but lost control of the ball, and the next in the 86th minute when Macken blazed over when well placed.

Paul Wanless limped off with what looked worryingly like a hamstring injury in the 89th minute to be replaced by player-coach David Preece, and then Macken broke United hearts with the last kick of the game. In the 92nd minute, when the U's defence suffered their only real lapse of the game and failed to clear the ball, he got into the area and met Alexander's cross with a bullet header from an angle, giving Van Heusden no chance.

Reporter Mark Johnson felt that Scott Paterson had an encouraging and solid game in midfield while Jamie Cassidy had looked more comfortable in midfield than at the back, but his man of the match was Paul Wanless:

"Captain Fantastic, this was his type of weather and he even tried to run off a hamstring strain."

         RESULTS AND ATTENDANCES ON 02/10/99 

      Bristol Rovers   3-1   Blackpool              7,715
             Burnley   2-2   Brentford             10,907
                Bury   3-2   Cardiff City           3,603
        Chesterfield   0-1   AFC Bournemouth        2,775
          Gillingham   2-0   Millwall               6,616
     Oldham Athletic   1-2   Notts County           5,143
       Oxford United   3-0   Bristol City           6,638
   Preston North End   2-1   Cambridge United       9,522
          Stoke City   1-0   Scunthorpe United     13,068
      Wigan Athletic   1-0   Luton Town             6,866
   Wycombe Wanderers   5-3   Reading                7,042