Memory match: Preston North End's penalty shoot-out agony against Barnsley in 2005
and live on Freeview channel 276
All the goal action was squeezed into the closing stages of normal time and then extra time.
PNE took the lead through Danny Dichio in the 77th minute but Jacob Burns’ equaliser took the tie into an additional half-hour.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdBurns then gave the Tykes the lead, before Graham Alexander temporarily saved the Lilywhites’ bacon with a 119th-minute penalty.
That took the game into a shoot-out, one the visitors won 5-4. It went down as a cup shock with Billy Davies’ men a division higher at the time.
Earlier in the day, North End had sold Richard Cresswell to Leeds for £1m.
So the last thing they needed as the previous season’s top scorer headed over the Pennines to Elland Road was being wasteful in front of goal.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdUnfortunately they were wasteful, chance after chance going begging in a game which they bossed for long spells. For 75 minutes poor Barnsley were chasing shadows and looking out of their league.
Davies’ side hit the woodwork twice through Patrick Agyemang and David Nugent, while several other chances fell their way.
Tykes keeper Scott Flinders played a blinder before he did himself a mischief pulling off another top-class save in extra time and had to limp off. The way Preston opened up no one could have guessed the tie would go the distance and beyond.
Agyemang saw his shot take a deflection off a defender’s foot and balloon over the keeper before bouncing on the top of the crossbar.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdJust six minutes into the second half Nugent reacted quickly to a rebound but stabbed the ball against the foot of the right-hand upright from barely six yards.
PNE introduced Dichio from the bench in the 69th minute, replacing Lewis Neal, and within eight minutes he had broken the deadlock.
Nugent flicked on for McKenna, he teed up Dichio on the left of goal and the substitute slammed a shot across the keeper and into the far corner.
Barnsley were level within four minutes, referee Russell Booth allowing play to continue with Tyrone Mears poleaxed in the penalty box.
Paul Hayes crossed for sub Burns to side-foot home.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdWith the tie forced into extra time the Tykes looked to have won it after Tony Vaughan danced past Mears and Claude Davis on the left and crossed for Burns to score his second.
But with less than two minutes left on the clock North End forced a penalty shoot-out when they were awarded a spot-kick for a handball by defender Matt Carbon.
Alexander calmly levelled and then, in the shoot-out, strode forward to bury the first one.
Chris Sedgwick, Dichio and David Jones all scored.
However, in between Brian O’Neil saw his penalty saved and Stephen McPail wrapped things up for Barnsley.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdIt was a fifth shoot-out in six that North End had finished second best in.
The most important one of the lot, the 2001 play-off semi-final against Birmingham, had seen them triumph.
But in the League Cup and Auto Windscreens Trophy, PNE had struggled to hold their nerve and that cost them dear.
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