Chairboys stuffed by Harrop and Browne
JOSH HARROP and Alan Browne both scored twice as Preston crushed Wycombe in a tie they controlled almost from start to finish.
And delighted Lilywhites boss Alex Neil said: “Whenever you come away to any lower-league opposition, the first thing you’re going to have to do is match them for effort, endeavour, willingness to win and work.
“We did all that and what we’ve got is some real quality players within our group and I thought that shone and came through.
“I thought the standard of some of the goals was excellent.
“Josh Harrop puts the ball into the top corner in one minute, Alan Browne hits a screamer from the edge of the box for the second and I thought the fifth goal was a fantastic move down the left side.”
Preston were ahead after just 87 seconds when Harrop bent a beautiful free-kick into the top corner from 25 yards, giving Wycombe keeper Scott Brown no chance.
The Lilywhites were well on top when they doubled their lead as Joe Jacobson’s clearance fell to Browne, who launched a magnificent half-volley into the top corner.
But Wycombe were given a lifeline back into the game just before half-time when Luke O’Nien’s low cross was deflected into his own net by Daryl Horgan.
The Preston winger redeemed himself by forcing an own goal out of Dan Scarr five minutes into the second half to restore Preston’s two-goal advantage.
The visitors went on to run up an emphatic scoreline as Browne buried a penalty after Paul Huntington was fouled by Scarr before Harrop headed in an excellent cross by Greg Cunningham.
Wycombe boss Gareth Ainsworth said: “The upset went out of the window in the first minute and we were outdone by a much better team on the day.
“Fair play to Alex Neil, he’s got his team working really well. It’s the best Preston team I’ve seen for a long, long time and I think they’ve got a real chance of making the play-offs this year.”
MARK HUGHES’ time in the Stoke hotseat was ended after this desperate FA Cup humiliation.
Already clinging on to his job following an appalling run of seven league defeats in 10 games, the Potters chief could expect no more reprieves.
Sparky’s Premier League flops were second best throughout this third-round derby at League Two high-fliers Coventry.
And if crashing out in the biggest FA Cup shock of the day was not bad enough for their beleaguered boss, the fact he could have no complaints about the exit made matters worse.
Strikes from Jordan Willis and Jack Grimmer put paid to Stoke as Mark Robins’ Sky Blues made light of the whopping 53 places separating the Midlands clubs.
And after a disastrous 200th and final game at the Stoke helm Hughes said: “We thought the team would be strong enough to progress. That didn’t happen and it’s a downer.
“The FA Cup is a great thing to be part of but when we wake up in the morning we will realise the Premier League is the priority.”
Unaware of the looming axe, Hughes said: “Has my future changed that much after this result? I’m not so sure. We clearly need to sign players very, very quickly. I just want a fair crack and to get my injured players back.”
Huge credit to Robins for masterminding this stunning shock – even if he will take no pleasure at doing so at the expense of his former Manchester United pal Hughes. Not that anybody in a rocking Ricoh Arena gave a jot about that come the final whistle.
Even the fuming Stoke fans, who had lost patience with Hughes long ago, joined in with home fans chanting, “You’re getting sacked in the morning”.
Robins, who won the FA Cup with United in 1990, was thrilled with his greatest managerial feat yet. “It was a hard-fought win – but a deserved one. I thought we were magnificent. It’s a really proud day for me,” he said.
“I don’t think anyone could say we held on. We had to defend well – but if we’d come in at half-time 3-0 up, nobody could have complained.”
If you think life at the Bet365 has been troubled this term, it pales into insignificance compared with Coventry’s decline over the last decade.
Relegation after relegation, hated owners and a ground rarely a third full with locals boycotting matches.