Sydie Peck's first-half hat-trick helped Sheffield United to a win over rock-bottom Preston North End, who have now made their worst-ever start to a season.

The Football League founding members have taken just five points from their opening 14 Championship matches and are nine points adrift of safety.

They led inside two minutes when Leo Leroy slammed home from Andrija Vukcevic's low ball from the left, but Peck levelled when his cross went over everyone and beat goalkeeper Daniel Iversen.

The 22-year-old got his second with a wonderful 18-yard finish after being played in behind the defence and he completed his first-ever treble with a tap-in from Romelle Donovan's pass across the face of goal.

Preston substitute Callum Lang calmly slotted in to get the home side back in it with 14 minutes to go, but the hosts could not find an equaliser as their dismal start continued.

North End have now lost 11 of their 14 Championship games this season and boss Graham Alexander has won just one point from his first six matches in charge.

Chris Wilder's men are outside the top eight on goal difference only after three wins from their past four.

Alexander had said after Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Stoke City that improvement for his side would be gradual, but their battle to stay in the second tier already looks daunting.

Frenchman Leroy gave them the perfect start to this match before England Under-21 international Peck took centre stage.

He had never scored more than one goal in a match prior to Tuesday's game, but he completed a 19-minute hat-trick against the Lilywhites.

His second goal was the standout, as he latched on to a ball over the top and then with Iversen out of position he hammered a fierce strike into the roof of the net and beyond the defenders on the line.

Lang's goal gave the home side hope of a point but they could not manage another shot on target in a game where they scored with both of the ones they did have.

Preston now face promotion-chasing Southampton on Saturday, while the Blades head to out-of-form Charlton Athletic.

Preston boss Graham Alexander told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"It was a great start and a really good goal and we had other moments after that where we need to have a little more composure or quality and I was pleased with the first 15-20 minutes, but then we concede a goal from absolutely nothing.

"To get in at 3-1 down at half-time after starting so well was a big blow.

"We asked the players at half-time to win the second half and they've done that and you've seen the response from the supporters, but we can't keep letting ourselves and the supporters down.

"It's only us that can get ourselves out of it. We have to find a way of creating that mentality, that anger, and that's what I saw in the second half, a controlled anger. Football is a competitive business and you have to fight and you have to scrap."

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield:

"Apart from the first two minutes and maybe the last five minutes I thought my team was outstanding.

"We saw it out when we didn't really need to see it out because I felt we did enough for 90% of the game.

[On Sydie Peck] "His all-round performance was excellent. He's got that in his locker and he's a touch disappointed because he had a couple more opportunities in the second half. Sydie will get all the headlines and deservedly so.

"He plays his football emotionally and intelligently and it's a great night for him."