PNE memory match: Penalty shoot-out agony for North End at Huddersfield in 1993
It came in the Autoglass Trophy against Huddersfield Town, 120 minutes of action on a freezing cold evening at Leeds Road having failed to produce a goal.
The shoot-out finished 5-3 in the Terriers’ favour, Andy Fensome the unlucky man to miss from the spot.
Fensome’s penalty came back off the post and PNE bowed out.
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Hide AdThey had negotiated the group stage to play this game, a 2-1 victory over Burnley carrying them through after an earlier defeat at Carlisle.
A crowd of just 1,379 were there to see it, including a decent-sized following from North End.
In the first half, Preston were under the cosh from their hosts but a defence very well marshalled by David Moyes held firm.
Moyes had arrived two months earlier from Scottish club Hamilton.
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Hide AdHe would go on to much greater things in a Preston shirt and tracksuit.
Tony Ellis struggled on scraps up front and failed to impose himself on the game.
Only with the arrival of Mickey Norbury from the bench, in place of the injured Mike Conroy, did North End begin to offer a threat.
PNE keeper Steve Woods was a busy man in the first half, producing good saves from Rodney Rowe, Darren Bullock and Richard Logan.
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Hide AdWoods had a quieter time after the break as John Beck’s men began to get a foothold in the contest.
That said, there were still a couple of let-offs, as Andy Booth missed two excellent chances for the home side.
North End’s best chance of the game came in the 87th minute.
A low shot from Norbury went through a crowd of legs, but was cleared off the line by Bullock.
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Hide AdThe rebound fell to Greg Challender, who blazed a shot over the bar.
Extra-time was pretty much a non-event in terms of chances and the final whistle at the end of 120 minutes was the signal for Preston’s first shoot-out in a competitive match.
Huddersfield boss Neil Warnock didn’t bother to hang about on the touchline to watch it – he went to sit in the bath until it was all over!
Phil Starbuck stepped-up to put the hosts 1-0 ahead, with Ellis levelling things up.
Iain Dunn made it 2-1, then Fensome missed his.
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Hide AdPeter Jackson scored the third for Huddersfield, then Gareth Ainsworth made it 3-2.
Chris Billy tucked his away to make it 4-2, PNE keeper Woods stepping-up to score to bring it back to 4-3.
It was left to Bullock to score Huddersfield’s fifth and send them through to the next round.
North End bounced back four days later in the FA Cup, winning 1-0 at Shrewsbury.
That was their only win for more than a month.
PNE: Woods, Fensome, Moyes, Kidd, Lucas, Ainsworth, Whalley, Challender, Raynor, Conroy (Norbury 59), Ellis. Subs (not used): Cartwright, O’Hanlon.