John Smith's PNE fans' panel view: Freezing FA Cup tie was settled in a suitably cool manner
Since 1964 – the last time North End reached the final of the world’s oldest and most famous domestic knockout competition – we had only reached the fifth-round stage of it on five occasions prior to Saturday’s fourth-round tie with Wycombe Wanderers.
I think it would be fair to say that, in the main, this goalless match against the Chairboys was hardly an edge-of-the-seat affair.
That is until the penalty shootout, which we managed to win to put us in the hat for the next round.
Before kick-off, with Wycombe riding high in second position in the League One table, I was expecting a close game.
Although I did not agree with the decision of the FA in scrapping cup replays, in this instance I was pleased that this tie would be decided on the day as I did not fancy a midweek journey down to Buckinghamshire for a second game if the match was drawn.
My pre-match prediction proved to be correct with a dour, hard-fought game, in which few clear-cut chances were created at either end.
In the latter stages of the 90 minutes, I thought that Wycombe looked the more likely team to break the deadlock.
As the temperature inside an already cold Deepdale began to plummet, I found my thoughts wandering to being grateful for the present of my Christmas gloves which were getting another outing.
When the realisation that we would have to endure another 30 minutes of extra time came, it felt like you do when your better half tells you that you have to dry the pots as well as wash them before you can go upstairs to your nice, warm bed.
In extra time, Wycombe seemed to tire and hardly threatened our goal but, while we huffed and puffed to try and force a winner, I had the feeling neither team would score if we had played on until the cows came home.
It came as no real surprise as I watched the game peter out to its inevitable conclusion of being decided by a penalty shootout.
The penalty shootout was a personal triumph for my man of the match, Freddie Woodman, who in my opinion just edged out the industrious Duane Holmes for the award.
I plumped for our goalkeeper because, as well as keeping a clean sheet for more than 120 minutes, he also managed to save two of our opponents’ penalties.
Fittingly, our winning penalty kick was scored in an ice cool manner by substitute Ched Evans.
Evans, who has always given 100 per cent for North End during his time here, deserves a great deal of admiration for battling back against the odds to full fitness in order to make himself available for selection – and then for coming on and doing the business when he was required.
For me, watching this game felt a bit like going to watch Pavarotti sing, only for the excitement to be numbed when you discovered that he has laryngitis.
However, it ends up well because, by the time the opera reaches its rousing finale, his throat has cleared up sufficiently for you to be able to enjoy watching him triumphantly belt out a rousing rendition of ‘Nessun Dorma’.