MAKE no mistake, despite that scoreline, PNE are still very much in this cup tie after a battling 2-0 defeat in South Yorkshire, writes Tom Parker.

North End played some lovely football and with better finishing they could have made the second leg at Deepdale next week a lot easier.

Despite the first attack being from Preston, it was Utd who opened the scoring as they struck on the break, with Paul Devlin finding space on the right of the box before floating in a cross which Martin Smith met with his head.

Goalkeeper Tepi Moilanen managed to get a glove to the ball but he could only push the ball against the underside of the crossbar and it bounced into the net.

Preston responded well, and Rob Edwards just failed to pick out David Eyres with a cross that had the home side under pressure.

Paul McKenna then linked with Eyres who crossed for Cartwright to head on to Macken, but the angle was too severe to beat Utd keeper Tracey.

Then McKenna had space for a shot 30 yards out but he pulled his effort wide of the post. Utd clawed their way back into the game, with Molianen making a fine save from Smith's attempt, but on 40 minutes, it was Utd who scored again.

Smith played in a corner which Murphy headed across the goal. Katchouro was on to it in a flash and sent a header wide of Tepi and into the net.

Despite coming back well, Preston couldn't find the net.

In the second half Ryan Kidd came on for Dominic Ludden and North End tried hard to get a goal back.

Utd pushed to kill the tie off, but strong resistance from North End prevented that and there is still everything to play for at Deepdale on Tuesday.

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