Ryan Ledson counting cost of Preston North End making sloppy start to cup tie

Ledson applauds the fans at the end of the game

Adam Idah was released in behind the Preston defence by Marco Stiepermann and the 18-year-old made no mistake in what was only his second career start.

Norwich were quickly in the driving seat, although against the run of play at the time, Onel Hernandez made space for himself before his shot squirmed under the body of Connor Ripley.

The keeper then gifted City’s third, running out of his goal to clear, but striking the ball just 10 yards into the feet of Idah, who took a touch and sent it over the 26-year-old’s head and into an empty net.

In the second half, PNE spared no time in getting a goal, with Billy Bodin heading home.

But Idah was again released in behind and this time he rounded Ripley before being brought down. Picking himself up to grab his third from the spot, with Harrop adding a consolation later on for PNE.

Getting knocked back each time they began to pick up some pace, Ledson felt Preston showed good character in their performance.

He said: “Conceding early wasn’t the ideal start. Then I think for the next five minutes we’ve got ourselves back into the game and they’ve scored two quick goals and it’s 3-0 at half-time. Your back’s against the wall then.

“I thought in the second half we showed good fight.

“We created a lot of opportunities but unfortunately they showed their quality in certain areas today and they’re a good side.

“Towards the end we were 4-1 down, we’ve got nothing to lose, we might as well go for it.

“We started the second half brilliantly, I thought we were going to go on.

“The fourth goal then knocks the stuffing out of us but you’ve got to rally again and we got the second one. We had a couple of opportunities towards the end but I their keeper made a couple of good saves for them, to be fair.”

Ledson sprang to the defence of his keeper Ripley too.

“It’s a tough one to take for Connor but we’ll all be behind him. We’ll keep his mood up, he’ll be down for a couple of days but he’s a top lad.”