Sub Joe Garner scored a 20-minute second-half hat-trick as League One Preston came from behind to beat the Blues 3-2 at Deepdale and end Town’s FA Cup interest at the third round replay stage. After a goalless first half, Frank Nouble put the Blues in front but Garner hit back twice in a minute before sub David McGoldrick equalised, however, the Lilywhites striker’s third in the 87th minute sealed the victory.

Mick McCarthy named the expected much-changed side with Scott Loach in goal, Carlos Edwards at right-back, Tyrone Mings at left-back and Tommy Smith and Christophe Berra at the centre of the defence.

Luke Hyam, Jay Tabb and Ryan Tunnicliffe made up a three-man midfield behind a frontline of Frank Nouble in the middle, Paul Anderson on the right and Stephen Hunt on the left.

Academy scholars Byron Lawrence, Kyle Hammond and Matt Clarke were on the bench, alongside veteran frontman Alan Lee. Preston made seven changes to the team which lost to Wolves at the weekend.

Hunt won an early corner with a strong burst through the middle as the Blues started brightly as heavy rain fell. Soon afterwards, Frank Nouble headed to Preston keeper Declan Rudd from Anderson’s right-wing cross.

Town weren’t too far away in the 17th minute when on-loan Norwich man Rudd failed to get much distance on his punch from Hunt’s left-sided corner but Tunnicliffe’s cushioned volley was just too high.

The game developed into an underwhelming, mistake-ridden affair with neither side able to create an opening until Hunt fed Nouble on the edge of the box in the 37th minute, but Paul Huntington blocked his shot.

Moments before the half-time whistle, Chris Humphrey sent over a cross from the Preston right but Kevin Davies was unable to get anything on it and it went out of play on the opposite flank.

Town had just about had the better of a dull half played in a muted almost reserves-like atmosphere.

The Blues had created a couple of at best half-chances but had failed to overly test Rudd, while Town keeper Loach’s most significant involvement was clutching a couple of crosses.

Skipper Edwards made an important challenge on his Lilywhites opposite number Keith Keane soon after the restart, the left-back exchanging passes with Davies and bearing down on goal until the Trinidadian’s intervention.

Will Hayhurst picked up the game’s first yellow card for a late challenge on Mings on the edge of the Blues box six minutes into the second period, the 20-year-old requiring lengthy treatment before continuing.

Berra blocked a Hayhurst shot then as the clock ticked past the 54-minute mark, the home crowd burst into a minute of applause in tribute to a well-known Preston fan Mick Murphy, who died last week.

Four minutes later, the Blues went in front in circumstances that on-loan Norwich keeper Rudd will want to forget.

After Nouble had seen a shot from a Tunnicliffe freekick blocked, Hunt crossed. Preston defender Tom Clarke chested the ball back towards Rudd, who in trying to prevent it from going out for a corner gifted it to Nouble, who widened his angle before lashing home his third goal of the season.

Four minutes after the introduction of sub Garner, Rudd went some way towards atoning for his error on 66 when Anderson was sent away down the left by Tunnicliffe, the keeper coming off his line to block.

The scoreline was completely turned on its head by Garner’s first two goals which both came in the 68th minute. First, his header from a corner on the left somehow crept past Loach and his defenders, appearing to take at least one deflection on the way.

Then, before the home crowd had settled down, Garner latched on to Davies’s knockdown before smashing a shot to Loach’s right.

Blues boss McCarthy immediately swapped Anderson and Tabb for Paul Taylor and David McGoldrick and — after Berra had been booked for a foul on Paul Gallagher - the switch quickly paid dividends.

Edwards cross from the right and with his first touch after coming on, McGoldrick nodded in his 13th goal of the season.

There was a scare for the Blues in the 82nd minute when Holmes picked Edwards’s pocket on the byline on the left. The former sub cut the ball across to Garner, but Hunt did well to block.

The Irishman had a great chance to put Town back in front within a minute but missed Nouble’s cross after the striker had been sent away down the right by Taylor.

Following Hyam’s booking for a foul, Neil Kilkenny sent through a low shot which Loach claimed.

But in the 87th minute the home side grabbed the winner. Garner outmuscled Tunnicliffe inside the area following a freekick and hit a left-footed shot on the turn past Loach and into the corner of the net to complete his hat-trick.

Veteran striker Alan Lee came on for the six minutes of injury time, replacing Hunt, but there was no way back for the Blues with McGoldrick receiving a late yellow card for what referee Keith Stroud felt was a dive and Mings joining him late on for a foul.

After a dull first half, the Blues were gifted the lead but as on Saturday against QPR, they gave away bad goals and only have themselves to blame for losing to opposition - albeit impressive opposition - from a lower division.

Town: Loach, Edwards, Berra, Smith, Mings, Anderson (Taylor 74), Hunt (Lee 90), Tabb (McGoldrick 74), Hyam, Tunnicliffe, Nouble. Unused: Gerken, Hammond, M Clarke, Lawrence, Lee.

Preston: Rudd, Keane, Laird, Huntington, Clarke, Humphrey (Wright 90), Kilkenny, Hayhurst (Garner 62), Gallagher, Davies, Brownhill (Holmes 79). Unused: Stuckmann, Wright, Beavon, Byrom, Hume. Referee: Keith Stroud (Hampshire). Att: 6,088.

Photo: Action Images

blueboy1981 added 22:13 - Jan 14 ....... how can anyone be remotely happy with a result like this - and out of the FA CUP yet again. SHAMEFUL really. And to you people who say you are not concerned - shame on you as an ITFC Supporter. Goodnight.
9

runningout added 22:15 - Jan 14 our seasons are getting predictable.. More of my hard earned dosh and time wasted, on my team that I stupidly dream of returning to the good old days
7

bluefeast added 22:17 - Jan 14 we need 3 quality signings and we dont look like getting them . Mid table is likely and this is a shame with clearly the strongest element of moral amongst the players. MM needs every ounce of his skill in order to claim a win on saturday which i dont think we will get
5

dawoolah added 22:17 - Jan 14 Joe Garner was only on the pitch for half an hour FFS!
3

bluefeast added 22:19 - Jan 14 blueboy81 i agree although i would of preferred some youth in the side as opposed to players such as hunt and tabb who may well end up offering us nothing this season. We need to freshen things up but the quality is not there amongst the 2nd tier senior players
0

bluemikey100 added 22:20 - Jan 14 concede 3 second half goals against qpr and now preston wot happened to all the 1-0 wins clean sheets mean wins and promotion
3

HALLSJ added 22:20 - Jan 14 Had Bournemouth, Sheff Wed and Preston to win tonight won £21.39 profit for afiver. Wet and windy Tuesday night never expected a win. Mind you it saves us losing at Forest nxt round. Need to pick ourselves back up and win at Millwall to get back on track.
1

bluefeast added 22:22 - Jan 14 we lack so much its frustrating .What we do have is a great work ethic. But we are now sussed out 1 win in 8 .Such a shame really i wish MM was backed in the transfer market. Take the fair play fine and go for it ,just like the current top 6 are doing ,plus 4 other sides around us
1

bluemikey100 added 22:22 - Jan 14 1 win 5 draws and 2 losses in 8 games not good enuff
3

ITFCsince67 added 22:23 - Jan 14 Hyam, Tabb and Tunnicliffe midfield it says it all.
1

WaffleMan added 22:24 - Jan 14 bit boring being an ipswich fan, in the championship every season finishing around mid table and hardly ever going on a cup run, ME needs to back MM financially if he wants to get to the prem, need Stearman, chambers back at cb, a creative midfielder and some pacey wingers, COYB
3

itfcjess added 22:25 - Jan 14 I was sat with the home fans, traitor I know. I dont think Edwards played badly, I think he played like a winger at right back. Hate how much stick he gets. Undoubtedly we could get a much better right winger, but he is so much better than Anderson, even now, and I think people underrate how good (and important) his crosses are. Tonight definitely showed that our reserves are either non existent or not good enough, or rather just how much we rely on cresswell, skuse, didsy. Dont knock mick for this though... It was a great cup game to watch (from the Preston end!) and people will moan either way! Would have been nice to win but shouldn't cry over loss in the cup!

0

tractorboyz82 added 22:26 - Jan 14 One win in 8 doesn't sound that great does it 3 goals from midfielders all season that's not playoff form mick needs backing or we'll finish closer to the bottom than the playoffs
2

TrabzonBlue added 22:27 - Jan 14 "Top Two Still Possible" -- Paul Anderson
-4

Lennyboy added 22:28 - Jan 14 This does not bode well. The next couple of league matches will really see if this was just a ffruitless cup exercise, or if we are starting to have major problems again. I truly hope not. Love the Town.
3

smithy91 added 22:36 - Jan 14 I have a horrible feeling our season is starting to fizzle out after a rather bright first few months! same old problems in the cup, injuries and a seeming lack of quality back up players. Need to win saturday or confidence will be really low...and need to spend on a winger and creative player!
4

Tractastic added 22:40 - Jan 14 If this result means that MM realises he needs more creativity and leadership in midfield and some pace and width on the wing then albeit with a heavy heart as no one likes to lose a game ,I'll take it. A top 6 finish is now our total focus and motivation. Marcus, it might be a good time to let us all know how much you believe in MM and give him some funds.After all of the last 3 managers he deserves backing the most. Three points on saturday please boys. Come on!

2

bluefeast added 22:41 - Jan 14 MM needs to be brutal with some players including tunnicliffe whos midfield contribution reads assists none goals none played i 92 percent of game from the start. Terrible .....
3

OldClactonBlue added 22:42 - Jan 14 It's time this Football Club stopped taking the mick (no pun I'm afraid). The supporters are being taken for a ride. Ambition? It's pathetic.
5

Cloddyseedbed added 22:48 - Jan 14 Yes I feel that to OldClactonBlue. Promised so much during every pre season charged a fortune, diminishing crowds and what do we get, same old, same old.
6

alexsmith111 added 23:02 - Jan 14 11 teams In my accumulator tonight. They say don't bet on your team. Evidently they were on the penny! 10/11!
0

algarvefan added 23:14 - Jan 14 Getting bored now.......:-(
2

slowerball added 23:15 - Jan 14 There is some rubbish spouted on here.... Tunnicliffe = useless tosser. He can go back to Old Trafford at any time. Too many fancy tricks he tried tonight and failed - his fault for the third goal, messing about where he did, stupid. He can go back to Man U and play 5-a-side and try his little dinks and flicks there. I can't bring myself to do a match report yet.... it would be too depressing if I wrote it now. Shocking. Oh, and the ref was a clown too - massive foul before their second goal, not given. A joke.

2

Tractamatt added 23:17 - Jan 14 When will people realise that the only money being spent by ME this window will be on wages and signing on fees not on actual transfer fees so we will not see any new players until much later in the window when other teams have sorted out their contract situations. We still have Ebanks-Blake to come in and remember that we were missing several key players tonight. If money did get spent there's a player called Garner who doesn't look a bad prospect, he got a HatrIck tonight.

1

brittaniaman added 23:18 - Jan 14 That is 6 goals we have conceded this week so far ????? with Millwall next Sat. a new manager of course Holloway the name is we do not need reminding !!!!!!! so we must get a win at the Den with Reading following up next !!!! Apparently Mick is fuming about his defence tonight, so let him knock a few heads together to get it sorted and do the Bad cop instead of Good cop ceremony !!!!!!

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