Marcus Rashford scored twice before Jacob Ramsey added a third at Deepdale

Deepdale was a sight to behold ahead of kick-off with the Alan Kelly Town End lit up by a blue and white Tifo, while a Sir Tom Finney flag was surfed across the stand named after the Lilywhites' greatest ever player. FA Cup quarter-finals do not come around very often for Preston North End - this their first since 1966 - and the buzz inside the stadium was electric.

As demanded by manager Paul Heckingbottom, the hosts made an aggressive start to the match and hunted the ball high - every glimmer of hope in the opposition half met with a roar from the Deepdale faithful. Unai Emery's men dominated the ball over the first 45 minutes but were restricted well by a massively depleted, but magnificently disciplined, PNE.

If anything, the clearest opportunity of the half fell to North End midfielder Stefan Thordarson - who had been so influential in the previous round victory over Burnley. The Iceland international, though, could only send a tame header wide from 12 yards out after Mads Frokjaer had guided the ball across. Robbie Brady's cross had caused panic in the Villa box.

With several key men missing on the day - including loan star Kaine Kesler-Hayden, who couldn't play against his parent club - the challenge for Preston was always going to be maintaining their level of energy. By contrast, Emery's bench was stacked with international talent. But it was a starter who broke the deadlock just before the hour; Marcus Rashford tucking home first time from Lucas Digne's pinpoint low delivery.

The key for Preston at that stage was to limit further damage and keep themselves in the contest - easier said than done against a powerful Villa outfit who could suddenly smell blood. Just five minutes after the deadlock breaker, the visitors' advantage was doubled. Rashford grabbed his second of the game, from the penalty spot, after Andrew Hughes brought down Morgan Rogers.

The decibels inside Deepdale dropped with a sense of inevitability about the end result - indeed, it would be Villa descending on Wembley Way in late April. Jacob Ramsey landed the sucker-punch blow 19 minutes from time; a solo effort and goal Preston will have been disappointed to concede, having allowed the midfielder to gallop through and beat Cornell with power.

Attendance: 22,198. PNE starting XI: Cornell; Storey, Gibson, Hughes, Brady, Whiteman, Thordarson (Mawene 83'), Meghoma (Lindsay 77'), Frokjaer (Carroll 83'), Keane (Osmajic 64'), Riis (Evans 77'). PNE unused subs: Stowell, Bauer, Pasiek, Tarry.