SUPER-SUB Ishmael Miller was the talk of The Hawthorns as he opened his Albion account just seven minutes into his debut to seal the club's first league win of the new season.

The on-loan Manchester City marksman made it 2-0 in the 73^rd minute following a bustling right-wing run and lethal left-foot finish.

Miller entered the fray when he replaced Kevin Phillips, whose second goal in as many games in the 65^th minute proved to be his final touch.

Phillips' opener had been set up by a touch of class from man-of-the-match James Morrison, whose work ethic and creative spark shaded the vote from skipper Jonathan Greening and centre-half Martin Albrechtsen.

The result was no less than the hosts deserved as their patient build-up play and refusal to panic produced two merited goals.

Tony Mowbray made four changes from the midweek Carling Cup win against Bournemouth.

Carl Hoefkens, Leon Barnett, Phillips and Zoltan Gera replaced Bostjan Cesar, Jared Hodgkiss - both left out altogether - Filipe Teixeira and Nathan Ellington.

Miller, who joined on a season-long deal on Wednesday, was named on the bench.

For Preston, Baggies old boy Darren Carter and striker Brett Ormerod shook off injury niggles to start while skipper Graham Alexander and Callum Davidson also returned after being rested in midweek.

Albion had an early scare when Dean Kiely saw a routine clearance charged down by North End striker Neil Mellor.

The Baggies No.1 recovered in time to palm the loose ball, which had looped back into the Baggies box, onto the ex-Liverpool striker's knee and out for a goal-kick.

Minutes later, Kiely had to be alert to keep out Mellor's smart turn and shot on the edge of the box from strike-partner Ormerod's knockdown.

Albion's new-look side took a while to settle and Preston keeper Wayne Henderson wasn't called into action until the ninth minute, when he showed a safe pair of hands to intercept Craig Beattie's dangerous cross before Gera could pounce.

The Baggies threatened again soon after when Morrison charged at the Lilywhites defence and threaded in Gera.

However, the ex-Middlesbrough man's pass was a touch heavy and Gera could only fire straight at Henderson from an acute angle.

But Preston were playing some nice stuff themselves and Ormerod saw an awkward header flash just wide from the overlapping Alexander's right-wing cross.

And Albion had a double scare in the 26^th minute.

Carter, who only left the Baggies in a £1.25million move nine days ago, was denied a certain goal by Paul Robinson's last-ditch block after the ex-Blues man had bustled his way onto Ormerod's flick-on from Davidson's hanging free-kick.

But the ball was pumped straight back into the penalty area and Kiely could only stand and watch as Mellor's instinctive prod looped just wide of his far post.

Albion were enjoying plenty of possession in the Preston half but their final ball kept letting them down.

However, terrific wing-play by Greening in the 28^th minute created a chance for Beattie, with the Scotland international powering a header straight at Henderson from ten yards.

Albion were now starting to get on top and Beattie wasn't too far away with a right-footed curler from just inside the box following Phillips' neat lay-off.

Preston hit back through a Kevin Nicholls free-kick, which centre-half Youl Mawene glanced wide.

But Albion had the last say of the half.

Mawene had to make a frantic clearance over his own crossbar after Morrison's free-kick had ricocheted across the face of goal.

Albion started the second half on the front foot, although Pele failed to trouble Henderson with a tame 20-yard effort.

And Beattie went agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock in the 55^th minute when he ghosted in front of his marker and glanced a header inches wide from Greening's corner.

Mowbray tried to boost Albion's attacking impetus by replacing defensive midfielder Pele with Filipe Teixeira in the 58^th minute.

And Albion went close again on the hour mark.

Mawene was again in the right place at the right time inside the North End six-yard box to clear in the nick of time, denying Phillips a simple tap-in from Beattie's low cross.

Albion instantly regained possession and Henderson did well to beat away Beattie's 15-yard curler after the ex-Celtic man's quick feet had created room for a shot.

And the Baggies deservedly broke the deadlock in the 65^th minute thanks to a moment of Morrison magic.

The ex-England Under-20 international tied Alexander up in knots as he charged down the left-hand side of the box before clipping the ball to Phillips at the far post who headed home.

It was to be Phillips' final touch as his goal celebrations ended with him being replaced by new boy Miller. Ellington also came on for fellow striker Beattie.

Powerhouse Miller was soon in the thick of it, racing onto Gera's slide-rule pass before drilling the ball into the side-netting from 15 yards.

And the 20-year-old went one better in the 73^rd minute with a brilliant goal.

The 'Moston Menace' controlled Gera's pass just inside the Preston half before charging past Mawene, racing into the box and slipping the ball clinically inside the far post.