Wemberley, Wemberley; well, we've got a replay!
v 
The Shrimpers held the League One Lillywhites to a 0-0 draw in the FA Cup first round at Deepdale Saturday afternoon, with loanee custodian Luke Daniels once again putting in an oustanding performance.
No real surprises in Blues boss Paul Sturrock's starting line-up, midfielder JP Kalala, only one yellow away though from a ban himself, is back for the suspended Anthony Grant, and Bilel Moshni on the subs bench is understandable enough, then again, he might have been one of the illness struck two we were warned about before the game.
Thought the experienced Neil Harris might come in but Ryan Hall is prefered in that inside forward position, where, let's face it, he's been doing rather well.
A minutes silence before the kick-off was respectably honoured by the whole crowd.
The home side start the tie brightly with, as expected, the tough German striker Juvhel Tsoumou on his own causing the central Shrimpers two a few problems as well as the odd free-kick, however it's Hall, who else, who gets the first shot on target with a low volley, Preston's other German, the 6ft 6 keeper Thorsten Stuckmann saving easily enough.
The first North End effort after seven minutes with wideboy Paul Coutts bringing loanee Southend shot stopper Luke Daniels into the game as he gets his fingertips to the long range strike pushing it wide.
End to end stuff early on and it's an accurate Hall free-kick finding Ryan Leonard who heads inches wide!
Blues left back Peter Gilbert then goes in strong on the other winger Danny Mayor, the winger is down and goes off for treatment but is back soon enough.
Definitly more possession for the home side and on 20 minutes after clever play by Coutts his cross is headed just wide by Tsoumou.
Then they win a free-kick 25 yards out, the busy Tsoumou decides it's his, maybe he shouldn't have, way over the bar.
Gilbert gets involved again, in a bad way, poor back pass to Daniels who is out smartly to kick the ball off Barry Nicholson for a goal kick.
Close to the half hour mark and Mayor sends the ball to the back post, the increasingly dangerous Coutts is arriving, but Daniels pulls out a great point black stop, if the West Brom keeping coach is here he would have been impressed with that.
However, young Luke is not finished yet and after Tsoumou finds the side netting with a good turn and shot, Nicholson is denied when his low volley is well saved by the Baggies loanee.
North End youngster Luke Clark fouls Hall, silly boy, and receives the first yellow of the afternoon.
Another break by Coutts though eight minutes before the break, in goes midfielder Michael Timlin, gets it wrong, a big shout for a spot-kick, referee Miller agrees, not much argument there.
However, up steps reserve penalty taker Nicholson, usual man Graham Alexander is on the bench, and is the present fashion, tries to blast it in, but only succeeds in blasting it over the bar!
A real let off for a Shrimpers side that is given the run around a touch, lovely passing by the Lancashire boys, yet we've seen this a lot recently, and it's United who have gone on to pinch the result!
Will their luck run out this time though, a free-kick on the edge of the area for Preston after Mayor has his heels clipped, Coutts does a Beckham, and Daniels does what he's been doing for the whole of the first 45, keeps North End out and the scores level, I think the away side will take that!
So the second half starts and Luggy will be looking for an improved performance, and it starts well, another long Ryan Leonard throw finds Hall but his shot is well blocked by Lillywhite's defender Craig Morgan.
On 52 minutes a tiring Kalala is replaced bu Mohsni, should liven things up, though the 6,609 crowd at both ends are certainly up for it, especially the Deepdale faithful who are sensing we are approaching a vital stage of the match.
Though on the hour it's Leonard who shows he can not only throw the ball around 25 yards, he can shoot that distance as well, but his effort goes wide.
Liam Dickinson, who has had a quiet game so far, wins a free-kick 30 yards out, too far for Ryan? No, but it's deflected to safety off the wall.
A bit of a goalmouth scramble follows from, yes, a Leonard long throw, certainly Southend's major attacking weapon in this match, it also leads to nothing, so with 22 minutes left is it safe to bring up that the replay will be Tuesday week at Roots Hall, possibly not?!
Preston try and break the deadlock yet again, Tsoumou chests the ball down, lays it off for Coutts who shoots immediatly aiming for the top corner, and it's young Luke showing a strong fist to punch the ball for a corner.
Taken short, Coutts drives into the box hard and low, Clarke strikes the ball well but wide.
Gilbert decides to hack down Mayor wide and the free-kick is cleared for another corner that is eventually cleared.
The opposition knows, or should do, that the dangerous Hall will get a long range strike in that could well win the game, and on 78 minutes he does just that but giant keeper Stuckmann brilliantly saves, I knew that bloke could be annoying!
Straight up the other end again and Doyle Middleton for a moment seemed to have given Preston the lead as he shoots millimeters wide of the right post from 20 yards with Daniels for once beaten.
Coming up to the last ten, Coutts 25 yarder is well tipped over by the ever increasing Saint Luke, though Stuckmann is doing his best for beatification when a similar ranged Hall shot from is superbly parried away by the other loanee custodian, both of who have kept this game goalless.
You can't keep Coutts out of the tie for long, and he switches the ball well to McLaughlin whose cross to the back post finds Middleton and he nods down to Tsoumou, a quick turn and his low shot is again well saved by Daniels. Is that it?
After three minutes of stoppage time, and another save from Luke, this time from a Mayor shot and then tipping over a sliced half volley that follows it up, it is, phew!
All back to south-east Essex then in ten days time, with the second round draw live on ITV1 Sunday afternoon from 14.40.
Southend player markings: Daniels - 9, Clohessy - 7, Phillips - 7, Barker - 7, Gilbert - 6, Leonard - 6, Ferdinand - 6, Kalala - 4 (Mohsni 51 - 5), Timlin - 6 , Hall - 7, Dickinson - 5.
Referee - Mr. N. Miller - 7.