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

riley26 added 23:19 - Jan 14 Disappointing, no one doing themselves any favours in pushing for starting places. Frustrating, obviously would like to still be in the competition but more concerned with how we bounce back on Saturday. Three points needed to keep us up there, away poor would be good but having lost at home we really need the win to get some momentum back.
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budgieplucker added 23:24 - Jan 14 The soft underbelly of the team is being exposed again. I didn't go so will leave it up to the great fans who made that pig awful trip tonight to express their full views. However to let a substitute come on and score a hat trick (2 inside a minute) says either one of two things - sign him up as he is a game changer - more than any of our players at the moment or make it absolutely clear to who ever should have been marking him that they need a few matches on the bench to reflect.

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MickMillsTash added 23:42 - Jan 14 Thought the game was played like a practice match in the first half, nice easy tip tappy - but we had no penetration 4-5-1 in the cup at a Championship side with Noubile drifting out wide and no one from midfield to get beyond him- we were never going to score. Second half we upped it a bit- full backs pushed on and we looked more like scoring- awful mistake by their keeper and despite being 3 yards out from an open goal I was still not putting my money on Noubile to score. Maybe a bit of arrogance crept in and their 2 goals looked avoidable. rest of the game fell apart a bit. MIngs looked assured, Hyam played well, Taylor direct when he came on, Smith and Berra dealt Ok with Davies. Noubile was lively and his touch looks more assured as his run continues. Lee elbowed someone in the face. I know it is the cup etc but it was cold wet, a long way from home - I'm glad it did not go to extra time. One point is that these games would probably have been good for Hewitt and Marriott to play in before going back out on loan - I do not think McCarthy would have learnt anything from tonight - apart from we cannot defend leads - but we know that.

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Paulc added 23:48 - Jan 14 Well I hope all the 'fans' that were saying no "no point in beating Preston" when the 4th round draw was made are happy now, well done bells, you got what you wanted.
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Lennyboy added 23:58 - Jan 14 This is bold but I say...B*LLOCKS to fair play, spend some money Marcus and get some decent players in. B*llocks to the fines, want some win and other teams afraid to play us; just like the old days. COYB.
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Walk_the_Wark added 00:11 - Jan 15 Micks not good enough. Bye! Proper manager please
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DerryfromBury added 00:14 - Jan 15 Good Night All .... no, I mean I'm off to bed.
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Keaneish added 03:01 - Jan 15 Was it ever in doubt? Look at the starting line-up. 4 or 5 of those players just aren't either ready or good enough. Our squad simply isn't strong enough or in depth enough and the next two weeks transfer activity will determine whether we slide down the league or not. Any squad who uses few players always gets to the New Year and begins to struggle as the Championship is too demanding a league to not use a full squad compliment over the course of the season. If players like Wordsworth, Edwards, Mings, Anderson and Tabb were of the high quality required it may be a different story but they're not.

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airliner added 05:30 - Jan 15 Not fussed about losing , we would have been turned over at forest anyway. So it saves the long trek to Nottingham and league is more important. Have to remember this was a made up side we put out not full squad, so it says it all. A good win on Saturday and the cup will be a distant memory .
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BillBlue added 07:06 - Jan 15 You are dead right Walk the Wark Mick is not good enough! I am sick to death of all you whingers moaning about having ONLY a small squad. We don't, we have a large squad chosen by a person who is a good defensively but whose whole ethos is to work hard and reject skill because he does not see the benefit as opposed to work rate and, furthermore, he is tactically inept. Look no further than his substitutions for confirmation of that point and his endless playing of a guy who you all say will never be good enough - and he (they) have bought him twice!. I do not wish to hark back, but I am going to. When BR was here the book squad was about sixteen players but the true first team squad was about 12.5 players (which included two good keepers), ask Mick Mills and Johnnie Wark they will tell you. Those guys used to play about fifty per cent more games in a season than this awful current squad and I can remember years when we were the only team in the Country still in four major competitions but THEN the small squad effect took over. Their competitors, the 'big' clubs even then had squads that would compare with their squads of today and still did not play as many matches. The REAL difference in BR's time is that Lawrence, Hammond, Clark, October, Marriott and the other lads who are out on loan would have been playing for us last night rather than sitting on a bench (a big deal to Mick) or playing for non-league teams and they would not have allowed a substitute to come on and score a hat-trick. A total disgrace. I would like to see Mick go and take Evan's with him. We could then start again just like Wimbledon and United of Manchester have done and that way we would once more be able to hold our heads up high. For the first time in over sixty years I feel ashamed of being a Town fan!

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Elizabeth added 07:29 - Jan 15 Hard to take when Garner was once one of our targets! We really do have a nucleus of players that are simply not good enough.In the past youngsters would have been brought in and were up for the challenge! Sadly this is not the case now. Three points is a must on Saturday but in reality we won't be surprised if it's a draw again. The team is screaming out for a quality midfield and some pace up front. Plenty of time left in this window.New faces please !!!!!

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Akaroablue added 07:30 - Jan 15 We have no consistent goal scorers from midfield, problem no1, the defensive line has probably scored more goals, does that tell Mick something or what! we need to spend some money and buy quality players who can back up the forward line, please!
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Elizabeth added 07:33 - Jan 15 Oh dear.. Didn't check the team first. Even worse .Regular players not up to it!!
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essexboy added 08:28 - Jan 15 That's the FA cup for you.Atop moaning you lot.The LGE is our bread and butter.Get over it.!!COYB.3points at Millwall and the moaners will go away.
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bluelodgeblue added 09:11 - Jan 15 When are the fans going to understand we have over achieved this season in the league, we are definitely a mid table side(just) and for those who want mick out! Who,s going to want to come to ITFC with no funds and a poor small squad. Wake UP!! This club under ME continues to decline and I fear for the long term future of our beloved club!
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thebeat added 09:30 - Jan 15 Didnt go but im gona ask a few questions and i presume the answers are yes and these are big contributors to our poor form lately. Did we control the game until we went 1 up and then backed off and went into our shell? Did Edwards look uncomfortable being played out of position even tho we had a rightback on the bench and 2 out on loan? Did Berra continuosly hoof it upfield with his right foot cus he cant play a pass with that foot cus hes being played on the wrong side of the defence? Did Anderson do an impression of the invisible man again? Did Tabb look uninterested? Was there a huge gap between the midfield and strikers as there is every game cus we dont have an attacking midfielder in the squad?

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Cloddyseedbed added 10:17 - Jan 15 Spot on thebeat. I think the majority are now realising changes are needed but with the squad we have and no money available the future does not look encouraging for the supporters. I for one will always go but as a previous post suggest the club is starting to take the p**s. We try to see the bright side but the clouds are never far away when the sun does start to shine for a brief spell!

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slowerball added 10:43 - Jan 15 I did go and I will attempt to answer your questions:- Did we control the game until we went 1 up and then backed off and went into our shell? We were the better side in the first half, I wouldn't say we controlled the game. Some very nice passing, little triangles, without much end product. PNE did get more into the game and second half, they stepped things up. Did Edwards look uncomfortable being played out of position even tho we had a rightback on the bench and 2 out on loan? No. Edwards I would say was one of our better players last night. I thought he did well. Problem any right back would have — whether it is Edwards, Chambers or a PROPER RIGHT BACK, is that you get no support / cover from Anderson, who runs around a lot with very little end product — a bit like David Norris used to. Did Berra continuosly hoof it upfield with his right foot cus he cant play a pass with that foot cus hes being played on the wrong side of the defence? He did okay — our play does depend on the punt to either Murphy, when he plays, or like last night Nouble. Berra had a hard time handling Davies and did okay. Did Anderson do an impression of the invisible man again? As I said — he ran about, looked busy, actually did nothing. Did Tabb look uninterested? Tabb was interested, but very ordinary and uninspiring to be honest. He got subbed which was the right thing to do. Was there a huge gap between the midfield and strikers as there is every game cus we dont have an attacking midfielder in the squad? Not really, not the way we were set up, and certainly in the second half when we were pressing them hard. Hunt was lively and worked hard and got involved. Hyam did okay — and I rarely speak as highly as that for Luke. But Skuse was a big miss and Tunnicfiffe was abysmal. His fault for the third goal entirely. Too many little flicks and dinks he tried — and failed. He is not a Man U player, nor is he an Ipswich player. He'll be a free transfer in the summer and I hope we don't get him. Rubbish last night I'm afraid. Also, definite foul — it was all Kevin Davies did last night — in the build up to PNE's second goal. Also think that Loach, although more communicative and with better distribution than Gerken, should have done better on the goals, certainly the 2nd and 3rd. Very unhappy — as is Mick it would appear, so he should be. The set-up, playing personnel, it only be the cup, etc., are feeble excuses for a poor defeat at the hands of a reasonable League 1 side, who themselves made changes. This on the back of an error strewn defeat at home by QPR and some ordinary performances prior to that. We should be concerned and simply saying “…well, Millwall weekend, if we win that, all will be forgotten”, is brushing things under the carpet and, to me in dismissing this defeat, shows a lack of passion and support for the club. With no money having been spent and none likley to be paid out in January (bar wages), looks like we will have to do what we can with what we have - and unless we get more injuries, I'm sure Mick will get the best of of these guys. But we need to defend better or at least with more confidence. Just my view.

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smithy0981 added 10:50 - Jan 15 I hate loosing games just as much as anyone but we have to put this in perspective! In my opinion we have an average team and a very small team at that and I think we are doing extraordinary well in the league! I still think we will finish mid table but we are going in the right direction and MM will carry on building a good foundation and team for an assault on the top 6 next season! Just think back to how it was last season, we didn't even have a team of our own it was all loan players. I for one am optimistic for the future. Win at millwall would be great however, I have a bad feeling that we are going to go on a bit of a bad run and it seems we have started leaking goals but I hope I'm wrong COYB

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ChrisMakin2012 added 11:58 - Jan 15 We won't win anything with the likes of Nouble, Loach and Tabb on the pitch.
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donk added 12:39 - Jan 15 The league cup and fa cup may aswell be called the reserve cup. nobody cares about the cups anymore, it's just about getting as high up the football ladder as you can so you can make more money to Gi be ed
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donk added 12:49 - Jan 15 the league cup and fa cup may aswell be called the reserve cup, nobody cares about the cups anymore. Its all about getting as high up the football ladder as you can, so you can have more money to give to overpaid over rated players that us poor fans have to pay stupid amounts of money to watch parade around a football pitch. Whatever happened to the game we call football??????

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Surco72 added 13:44 - Jan 15 Got slated after Saturday for daring to say this squad was very average would finish mid table and criticising MM's squad and signings . Well seven of the starting line up were MM signings and they couldn't beat an under strength Preston team home or away . And for a team so defensive minded with defensive midfielders we don't keep many clean sheets do we ? He should have started with Dids and Taylor killed the game off and taken them off early or played the kids for experience . First half was two dire league 1 sides . Stop praising your average signings like Anderson,Tabb and Nouble up to us all the time MM and teach the team how to create and defend a lead . How many times this season has MM been tactically outmanaged by his opposite number for us too throw away leads ? Always too negative

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WaffleMan added 14:52 - Jan 15 bit of a reality check for all fans, we dont have a big and good enough squad to win anything, all this moaning has came back on yourselves just because we are in the play offs half way through does not mean it will finish like that, the players we have are not title challengers, sorry to say
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DerryfromBury added 17:34 - Jan 15 Slowerball, What an excellent and measured response to "thebeat" and your assessment of the game. " thebeat" also congrats to you for the original set of questions . Having not gone to the game, but have listened too and read the various media reports, I don't intend criticise any of the players selected for the game, it sounds as though, apart from maybe Tunners, the rest of the guys performed to their individual strengths and capabilities, and that my dear friends is where the problem lies. We simply don't have the quality or strength in depth needed to sustain a push for top 6, let alone challenge for a place in the premiership. Whilst we are not privy to ME or MM strategy for moving the club forward we can only assume after last nights selection it didn't include a cup run this season, and is unlikely to involve any real expenditure on new players, therefore, everything now hinges on the next 6 games. 12 or more points and that trip to Wembley might just still be on the cards "Ever the Optimist" COYB

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