Preston North End youngsters ready for FA Youth Cup action against Lincoln City at Deepdale

After the third-round clash was postponed twice before Christmas because of conditions underfoot at Sincil Bank, the decision was made to move the game to Deepdale.

The prize for the winners is a home game against Watford.

Some of the youngsters who will play today have been involved in North End first-team picture this season.

Second-year scholars Jacob Holland-Wilkinson and Lewis Coulton have both made the bench for Championship games.

Youth-team skipper Ben Dooley has also been given a squad number and has travelled with the first eam without making a matchday squad.

Several others from the academy set-up at Cottam have trained with Alex Neil’s squad.

Now the focus is back on what they can do in their own age group against the Imps.

Striker Holland-Wilkinson has made the bench six times since clubs in the EFL were permitted to name nine subs.

Left-back Coulton was among the subs for the games against Blackburn and Watford in November.

Earlier in the season, Holland-Wilkinson had a spell on loan at Lancaster City to gain senior experience and impressed with the Dolly Blues.

He returned to Deepdale when Lancaster’s season was paused due to the second lockdown in November.

Another youth-team player to have been out on loan was Joe Rodwell-Grant.

He had a short stay at Chorley and then went to Bamber Bridge, again returning in November.

Preston’s academy side have reached the fifth round of this competition for the last two years.

They beat Bristol City and Oxford last season, before bowing out to Blackburn.

The campaign before, PNE won against Charlton and Norwich, with Bury beating them at the fifth-round stage.

Skipper Dooley told North End’s official website: “We’ve worked hard in training and it’s shown with previous results we’ve had.

“We’ve worked well because we’ve got a mix of players who have and haven’t done this before.

“I’ve done this before and I still get some nerves, but it’s about helping other people deal with those nerves and emotions to put it into a good performance.”

Thanks for reading. If you value what we do and are able to support us, a digital subscription is just £1 per month for the first two months. Try us today by clicking here