Unlike the JPT, eight matches from Wembley!
v No real surprises in Luggy's starting line-up, midfielder JP Kalala, only one yellow away though from a ban himself, is back for the suspended Anthony Grant, and Bilel Moshni on the subs bench is understandable enough, then again, he might have been one of the illness struck two we were warned about before the game. Thought the experienced Neil Harris might come in but Ryan Hall is prefered in that inside forward position, where, let's face it, he's been doing rather well. A minutes silence before the kick-off was respectably honoured by the whole crowd. The home side start the tie brightly with, as expected, the tough German striker Juvhel Tsoumou on his own causing the central Shrimpers two a few problems as well as the odd free-kick, however it's Hall, who else, who gets the first shot on target with a low volley, Preston's other German, the 6ft 6 keeper Thorsten Stuckmann saving easily enough. The first North End effort after seven minutes with wideboy Paul Coutts bringing loanee Southend shot stopper Luke Daniels into the game as he gets his fingertips to the long range strike pushing it wide. End to end stuff early on and it's an accurate Hall free-kick finding Ryan Leonard who heads inches wide! Blues left back Peter Gilbert then goes in strong on the other winger Danny Mayor, the winger is down and goes off for treatment but is back soon enough. Definitly more possession for the home side and on 20 minutes after clever play by Coutts his cross is headed just wide by Tsoumou. Then they win a free-kick 25 yards out, the busy Tsoumou decides it's his, maybe he shouldn't have, way over the bar. Gilbert gets involved again, in a bad way, poor back pass to Daniels who is out smartly to kick the ball off Barry Nicholson for a goal kick. Close to the half hour mark and Mayor sends the ball to the back post, the increasingly dangerous Coutts is arriving, but Daniels pulls out a great point black stop, if the West Brom keeping coach is here he would have been impressed with that. However, young Luke is not finished yet and after Tsoumou finds the side netting with a good turn and shot, Nicholson is denied when his low volley is well saved by the Baggies loanee. North End youngster Luke Clark fouls Hall, silly boy, and receives the first yellow of the afternoon. Another break by Coutts though eight minutes before the break, in goes skipper Chris Barker, gets it wrong, a big shout for a spot-kick, referee Miller agrees, not much argument there. However, up steps reserve penalty taker Nicholson, usual man Graham Alexander is on the bench, and is the present fashion, tries to blast it in, but only succeeds in blasting it over the bar! A real let off for a Shrimpers side that is given the run around a touch, lovely passing by the Lancashire boys, yet we've seen this a lot recently, and it's United who have gone on to pinch the result! Will their luck run out this time though, a free-kick on the edge of the area for Preston after Mayor has his heels clipped, Coutts does a Beckham, and Daniels does what he's been doing for the whole of the first 45, keeps North End out and the scores level, I think the away side will take that! Preston North End: Stuckmann, McLaughlin, Carlisle, Morgan, Parry, Ashbee, Coutts, Nicholson, Mayor, Clark, Tsoumou. Subs: Arestidou, Gray, McLean, Smith, Alexander, Middleton, Zibaka. Southend United: Daniels, Clohessy, Phillips, Barker, Gilbert, Leonard, Ferdinand, Kalala, Timlin, Hall, Dickinson. Subs: Bentley, Coughlan, Prosser, Sawyer, Johnson, Harris, Mohsni.Source: FOOTYMAD
