Ryan Brooke's joy at giving Latics the lead against Preston North End was soured after he appeared to sustain a serious injury scoring.

The young striker broke the deadlock four minutes before the break, but was badly hurt as he collided with Andy Lonergan as the keeper hurtled from his line.

Brooke raced on to a long through ball from Reuben Hazell. Lonergan initially decided to stay on his line, but with the striker racing through on goal, the keeper belatedly rushed from his goal.

That was followed by the distresing sight of Brooke leaving the ground on a stretcher with his right leg encased in a splint and clearly in great pain.

Latics preferred Djeny Bembo-Leta to Tom Eaves, Latics' midweek hat-trick hero, up front while there was a trialiist at right back who took over from Kieran Lee.

After the euphoria of the midweek win against Premier League Bolton Wanderers, it was a rather subdued and low-key opening in which neither side created a meaningful opening.

Preston had one attempt at goal after seven minutes when Paul Parry fired a free kick from 25 yards narrowly wide.

It wasn't uhtil almost the mid-way point in the half that the game finally sparked to life.

Paul Hayes wriggled free in the Latics penalty area only to be thwarted by a last-ditch tackle by the triallist.

Latics responded as Dale Stephens crashed a free kick from 30 yards narrowly wide while Ryan Brooke's brilliant near-post diving header from a Stephens free kick was kept out by a superb save from Lonergan.

It was no surprise when Brooke finally broke the deadlock as he had impressed throughout the opening period.

First-half team (4-4-2): Brill; Triallist, Hazell, Jarrett, Black; Jones, Stephens, Furman, Alessandra; Brooke (Crompton 43), Bembo-Leta.

Half-time: Latics 1, Preston 0.