Sutton's run in the FA Youth Cup ended after a penalty shootout tonight saw Preston North End win 4-2 and go through to a fourth round tie away to Southampton or Sheffield Wednesday, who play on Thursday.
The game finished 2-2 after extra time, with all the goals coming in the regulation ninety minutes. Euan Mutale finished off a fine move with a header to put U's ahead after ten minutes, but Preston replied through Mikey O'Neill midway through the half. It was the visitors who edged in front just after the hour when Noah Muwene scored with a low shot, but this time U's struck back within five minutes with a stunning long range effort from Johnny Fitzgerald.
The remaining twenty minutes, plus half an hour's extra time, failed to separate the sides although U's had a goal disallowed for handball and came close with a header five minutes from the end of extra time, so penalties were required, and Sutton had an early advantage when Toby Fisher saved Preston's second penalty from Vaughn Green and Kai Tanner put U's 2-1 up. However from the next two Sutton penalties Jordan McNally hit the bar and Mutale shot over, and with Preston making no more errors Josh Seary beat Fisher to give Preston a 4-2 win.