The Toffees’ best first-half offering was a bullet header from Duncan Ferguson after 13 minutes.  Steve Watson managed to pass from near the bye-line and Ferguson’s close-range attempt produced a reflex save.  Near the break Ferguson shot at the keeper following Kevin Campbell’s back flick. 

It had looked as if Niclas Alexandersson would put Everton ahead after the first five minutes.  Gary Naysmith supplied the cross and Alexandersson chested down the ball before approaching goal.  However, just as he seemed likely to score, defender Rob Edwards was there to clear away the danger. 

There was a touch of controversy when Preston striker David Healy was involved in a collision with keeper Paul Gerrard while trying to loop the ball over him but, from the free-kick which followed, Paul McKenna blasted over.  

Campbell was rewarded with a 79th-minute goal from Kevin McLeod’s long-range pass.  Ten minutes from time, Rob Edwards grabbed a consolation goal for Preston from McKenna’s free-kick.  Paul Gascoigne was given a 13th-minute spell of action and was warmly received by both sets of fans. 

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It's our first look at our new boys, Stubbs, & Radzinski (who does not even make the bench) and today there is no Dave Watson taking the pre-game warm up, so it's down to Andy Holden to put the lads though their pre-match exercises.

Quite a number of Evertonians made the short trip up the M6 and most were wearing the new silver away shirt.

So on to the game: it looks like we are to play 3-5-2 formation with Stubbs, Weir, and Pistone at the back.  In midfield we had Unsworth, Alexandersson, Gemmill, Naysmith, and Watson, leaving Big Dunc & Campbell up front.

Our first real chance of the game fell to Ferguson on 13 mins from close range on a good cross from the right, with power on the header.  The Preston Keeper Moilanen did well to keep it out of the goal.

Naysmith on 25 mins hit a long ball from midfield to Campbell on the end and in the clear.  He hit his shot just wide of the upright, but within a minute Alexandersson found himself man-handled to the ground; the ref gave no penalty.

35 mins into the game Ferguson found himself in an offside position (although no flag from the linesman) with plenty of time and space but saw his header go over the bar.  Our only other half-chance was another Campbell shot saved by the Preston keeper who was the busier of the two keepers.

Walter Smith decided to change things round at half-time with an almost immediate effect.  Joe-Max Moore with what must have been his first touch, latched on to a knock down from Campbell, and unmarked 6yds out, blasted Everton's first goal.

Within a minute or so, Moore linked up with Alexandersson to feed the ball into the path of Unsworth who, from just outside the edge of the box, fired home through a melee of players. 2-0 up after 48 mins.

As Alexandersson came off on 76 mins, on came Gazza to the biggest cheer of the afternoon from both sets off supporters. He is clearly a couple of weeks away from full fitness but showing he is still a class act.

Young McLeod made one of his customary runs down the flank ending in a pin-point cross. Where it used to be Jevons on the end for the reserves, this afternoon, Campbell was the grateful recipient, to head one of the easiest goals he may score this season.

Preston clawed back a goal which was a set piece from a free kick that flew to the  unmarked Preston's Edwards in the 6-yd area, giving Gerrard no chance.

At the end of the day, a win is a win and the players have had their first 90 mins of action before the start of a very important season for Evertonians.

EVERTON'S forgotten man Joe-Max Moore gave Walter Smith a double-quick reminder that he still had something to offer at Goodison.  The little American has gone through his own tale of misery in the last year when he failed to score and then saw Canadian Thomasz Radzinski signed for £4.5M in his place.  But, in the space of three minutes after coming on as a half-time substitute, Moore was much merrier with a thumping goal and a clever assist to help Everton to victory.

Moore started the move for the badly-needed opener and then popped up in the box to flick a header to his old pal Kevin Campbell, who chested a return to him.  With time and space, Moore picked his spot and crashed a shot past keeper David Lucas to end his barren spell with some style and coolness.  Moore made the difference in the box again in Everton's next attack when he found David Unsworth, who thundered forward and belted home.  Local boy Unsworth, who still lives close to Preston, enjoyed that one on the day when he was pushed into midfield as an experiment by Smith.

Everton always had the edge physically against Davie Moyes' side, which is still looking for extra steel if they are to be a more potent promotion force.  Duncan Ferguson was just too big and dangerous, and only keeper Tepi Moilanen denied him an early goal when he fisted away a close range header.  Moilanen's punching power may have been felt by boss Moyes in a bar-room brawl last week but there was nothing wrong with the power he got to knock that effort away.

Moilanen was the busier keeper and saved well from Ferguson's crisp shot before sighing with relief when Kevin Campbell shaved his post.  Substitute Lucas had to pick the ball out of the net twice before making a save, but stopped Peter Clarke's header and Ferguson's shot as Everton piled on the pressure after the break.

Ferguson was a pleasing sight for Evertonians, and so was the debut of Alan Stubbs, their only summer signing on show, but a shrewd one.  Stubbs looked capable of making Smith's defensive system a springboard for attack, but it was Paul Gascoigne who got the biggest cheer when he came on with 13 minutes to go.

Then Campbell wrapped up an impressive second-half display when he headed in at the far post from a wonderful deep cross by sub Kevin McLeod.  Preston had a consolation with a volley by left-back Rob Edwards.  Delighted Smith said: "It was a really good workout.  Some of our boys, like Duncan Ferguson and Alan Stubbs, needed to play some football.

"I am pleased for Joe-Max Moore.  He's a handy player to have around.  If we keep our strikers fit we'll be alright."

Preston chief Moyes said: "I was pleased with our players but Everton just had a bit more strength and guile."