A sunny but very windy afrernoon in Lancashire, which was to cause huge problems when the match got underway.

It was a special day for both sides. A large away contingent were populated by a variety of fancy dress outfits as they made the match a carnival event.

The team were naturally bubbly and relaxed as they arrived at the ground. This continued during the pre-match warm up where Chris Powell joined some of his staff and subs in a crossbar challenge. The winner was Ben Hamer, who also showed some deft touches when the subs went through a few routines at half-time.

Graham Alexander is a Preston legend and one of the games great servants. Alexander is hanging his boots up after making a staggering 1023 appearances. The 40-year-old’s late cameo meant that 420 of those appearances were for the Lillywhites. When I congratulated him for his tremendous record before the game, he seemed genuinely pleased that opposition fans recognised his contribution to the game.

Preston formed a guard of honour for their vistors who received warm and generous applause from both sets of fans. The Charlton players joined the end of the line as Alexander appeared to rapturous applause from all corners of the ground.

Alexander was presented with a crystal trophy by Chris Powell, on behalf of North End.

The boisterous Addicks fans kept up a barrage of noise all afternoon and performed the conga, as well as the Poznan, as part of their repertoire.

Only Solly, Pritchard and Cort remained from the team that started against Wycombe, as Powell gave some of the fringe players their chance.

The Addicks had the strong wind behind them in the opening period and took full advantage. Danny Haynes – whose blistering pace was a constant threat to the Preston rearguard – opened the scoring after 11 minutes. Collecting a super through ball from Danny Green, Haynes shimmied, wrong footed the keeper, before stroking the ball home.

Charlton doubled their advantage ten minutes before the interval. Andreas Arestidou took a quick goal-kick to Craig Morgan. The defender’s back pass was woefully underhit and Dany N’Guessan nipped in, danced round Arestidou and rolled the ball into an empty net.

The Addicks found things much tougher when they kicked into the wind after the break and were rarely seen as an attacking force.

Nicky Hunt scored his first goal for Preston in the 57th minute. Haynes’ defensive header dropped to Hunt some 25 yards out and he hit a screamer that nestled in the right-hand corner of Sullivan’s goal.

Six minutes from time both sides made popular changes. Paul Hayes was warmly applauded by the Preston fans and that man, Graham Alexander, was given a standing ovation by the entire stadium.

What makes football such a great game is the number of unbelievable moments it produces, and there was one at the end of the game.

Cort was penalised for a foul on the edge of the box deep into stoppage time. Everyone knew who was going to take it and everyone knew what would happen.

Alexander whipped the ball over the wall and past the despairing dive of Sullivan. The crowd erupted as Alexander went beserk. He picked up a yellow card to accompany his final goal.

The game was played without any pressure and in a spirit of bon homie. Powell has promised to play his strongest team next week as his side chase the win that would see them equal Fulham’s Third Tier record of 101 points.

Charlton: Sullivan; Solly, Taylor, Cort, Evina; Green (Jackson 69), Pritchard, Hollands, Cook (Wagstaff 40); N’Guessan (Hayes 84), Haynes.

Subs (not used): Hamer, Morrison.

Goals: Haynes 11, N’Guessan 35.

Booked: Green 64 (foul).

Preston: Arestidou; Gray (Hayhurst 46), Morgan, Robertson (Aneke 71), Wright; Coutts, Hunt, Ehmer (Alexander 84), Mayor; Holroyd, Proctor.

Subs (not used): Procter, Cummins.

Goals: Hunt 57, Alexander 90.

Booked: Hunt 58 (foul).

Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire).

Attn: 12,029.