UNDER-PRESSURE Preston boss Gary Peters will be anxious to avoid the potential humiliation of successive cup exits in the space of four days when North End make the short trip to Macclesfield tonight.

Knocked out of the FA Cup by Stockport on Saturday, Preston hope to keep alive their chances of a Wembley final by overcoming the Third Division side in the Auto Windscreens Shield (Northern Section) second round.

"It's a big game for us" admitted Peters. "We've got to go there and give it our all. This is now an important competition for us to progress in."

Top scorer Lee Ashcroft is almost certainly missing with a hamstring strain and Peters will check a series of bumps and bruises from Saturday before naming his side.

Macclesfield are, of course, managed by former Preston player Sammy McIlroy and the league newcomers have made a reasonable start to sit in a comfortable mid-table place.

Preston's squad: Moilanen, Parkinson, Kidd, Murdock, Jackson, Gregan, Appleton, Holt, Cartwright, Macken, Rankine, Eyres, Barrick, Lormor, Lucas, Moyes, Nogan.

Macclesfield were due to hold a pitch inspection this afternoon.

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