Etuhu puts struggling Preston on track again

Preston began life after Craig Brown with a much-needed victory over Rotherham at Deepdale yesterday.

Preston began life after Craig Brown with a much-needed victory over Rotherham at Deepdale yesterday.

Dickson Etuhu's well-taken goals, the first on the quarter-hour mark and the second in first-half stoppage time, capped an impressive individual and team display as Billy Davies enjoyed a successful start to his reign as caretaker manager.

Though Davies, put in charge following the departure of Brown on Sunday, will have noted areas in need of improvement - most notably the regular surrendering of possession - victory was paramount after three successive defeats.

Rotherham, bottom of the table and without a league win this season, lacked the quality to break down a far from solid North End rearguard. The Preston goalkeeper Andy Lonergan did not have a meaningful save to make.

The Burnley manager Steve Cotterill is to appeal after being banned from the sideline as his side suffered their first home defeat of the season in a bad-tempered 2-1 loss to Gillingham.

It was an incident-packed affair in which eight players were booked and Burnley's Micah Hyde was shown the red card. Cotterill was banished to the stand but said: "I will appeal against it because, after being warned by the fourth official, I did nothing else. I hope his pillow is nice and soft because he might find it tough putting his head down tonight."

In League One, Luton left it late against Bournemouth to keep up their 100 per cent record. Mike Newell's side, three points clear before the game, had been heading for a stalemate as they struggled to find an opening. But with nine minutes to go Kevin Nicholls beat Cherries keeper Neil Moss to earn his side their sixth win of the campaign.

Colchester watched Luton slip further from their grasp as they went down 2-1 at Hartlepool to fall six points behind the league leaders.