Preston North End 1-3 Southampton - Young Lilywhites bow out of FA Youth Cup despite great showing at Deepdale

Southampton took the lead in the first half through a wonderful free kick by Kamari Doyle before Noah Mawene confidently levelled things up from the spot before the break. Doyle scored his second of the game in the second half before Dominic Ballard finished off the scoring for the Premier League outfit.

There were four players in the North End side that had made their senior debuts, Jacob Slater, Mawene, Kaedyn Kamara and Finlay Cross-Adair, with Josh Seary also starting having played in pre-season games for the first team.

They were under the cosh early doors however, with Southampton having the first chance of the game just five minutes in. Tyler Dibling showed some neat footwork in the middle of the park before releasing Doyle down the right wing. He looked to return the favour to find the tricky no.7 and he was able to take a touch before poking at goal just six yards out but Tommy Davis managed to get a hand to the ball and steer it over the bar.

The visitors continued to look dangerous when given time to carry the ball and they won a free kick on the edge of the box after 11 minutes. Doyle stepped up and bent the ball into the top corner from the right side of the box, over the wall and back down just under the bar. A fine free kick.

The Premier League outfit looked to extend their lead with Doyle again the man looking to score, this time he scooped the ball over the bar from around 12 yards out.

But North End earned their way back into the game. Slater made room down the left to come inside and switched the ball to Seary who carried it into the box, faked a shot and drew a foul from Cameron Bragg.

Captain Mawene stepped up from the spot and dispatched the ball into the bottom left corner expertly.

The North End skipper shone in the first 45, using his pace and power to outmatch his opponents whilst also showing deft footwork when needed.

He was doing his job defensively too, back to make a vital interception with just six minutes to go in the half as Dibling rolled the ball into a dangerous area.

Cross-Adair tried his luck from a tight angle after 39 minutes, but his volley was into the side netting.

The score remained level at the break, with an even half after the visitors' early dominance North End worked their way firmly back into the contest.

The Saints again started a half the better, with a big chance just four minutes into the second period. Ballard received a little chip over the top of the PNE defence from the edge of the box but volleyed wide from close range.

Preston would give as good as they got in the game though, with a big chance of their own just two minutes later. Mawene got onto a loose ball at the edge of the box and rolled it into the path of Seary. His cross to the far post was nodded down by Cross-Adair into the path of Felipe Rodriguez-Gentile just six yards out but he couldn't keep his effort down reaching for the ball.

The home side would again have a big chance to take the lead after 64 minutes through another well-worked move. Kian Best's ball back into the back from a set piece was nodded back into the danger area by Seary with Kian Taylor coming onto it unmarked near the penalty spot, though he couldn't keep the shot down.

Despite most of the running going North End's way, they found themselves behind on 68 minutes. Doyle managed to get the wrong side of the Preston midfield to carry the ball to the edge of the box and slot it low into the bottom right corner.

And North End slipped further behind 10 minutes before the end to all but end their hopes in the game. Southampton showed their quality on the break for the second time in the half as Ballard found room down the left wing, checked inside and squeezed an effort under Davis.

The young Lilywhites kept fighting though and could have halved the deficit. Slater got down the left wing to square the ball and it deflected into the path of substitute Ethan Eccleston who would have scored if not for an excellent block by Saints skipper Jem Hewlett.

North End toiled away until the end, deflated slightly by the scoreline, but could take great heart from the performance against an academy with a much bigger and better setup than their own.

They were the side on top for the majority of the game and were punished by just a few moments of quality and a slight lack of composure in front of goal to prevent them progressing beyond the quarter final stage.

PNE Starting XI: Davis, Wallbank (Eccleston, 71'), Taylor, Best, Seary, Kamara, Mawene, Nelson (Wilson, 77'), Slater, Rodriguez-Gentile, Cross-Adair.

PNE subs: Wilkinson, Pasiek, Horan, Pemberton, Havard.