IF only Harriers could take some of the finer points from this performance then perhaps Division Three would not seem so harsh.

Jan Molby's men stunned last season's Division One play-off final losers as the visitors had to mount a late fight-back to prevent a famous Worthington Cup giant-killing.

Harriers beat the same opposition in their sterling FA Cup run seven years ago, a Delwyn Humphreys strike sealing a 1-0 win.

Preston were then a Division Three outfit but times have changed and now they boast one of the most feared strike-forces in Division One.

Few would have realised in the first half though as Harriers held the upper hand and took a shock 2-0 lead into the interval.

Their football was improved, the steely resilience was there for all to see and few weak points could be seen in the armour of Molby's side.

The back-four - with young Lee Ayres making his competitive debut - looked solid, the midfield shone and big Drewe Broughton made an instant nuisance of himself up front.

Preston were restricted to long-range efforts with Iain Anderson and Sean Gregan warming the dependable hands of keeper Stuart Brock.

But half-time no doubt saw the proverbial bullet from boss David Moyes and the visitors were a changed team.

Harriers did not let themselves down at all but the lively strike-force of David Healy and Jon Macken, both ex-Manchester United players, eventually proved too much, despite the efforts of Brock and his defence.

However, it wasn't until the last 13 minutes that the Lancashire side clawed their way back into the game before perhaps predictably taking the tie after extra-time.

The first round cup clash had started superbly for Harriers with Broughton only denied by an offside flag on 10 minutes.

Six minutes later and the home side were ahead as Tony Bird intercepted a ball near the halfway line, flew down the middle through a square defence and buried a classy finish from the edge of the box.

The feathers were flying in the Preston back-line and Bird was at it again on 21 minutes, launching a towering header from Scott Stamps' long pass which brushed the post.

Mark Blake glanced another header just wide from Shilton's intelligent cross as Harriers tore into their illustrious opponents.

And it was 2-0 seven minutes before half-time when fit-again Ian Foster's high left-wing cross caused panic with Broughton challenging.

The ball fell for Bird close to the six-yard box and he rifled a clinical finish into the roof of net.

Preston's half-time introduction of Scottish international Kevin Gallacher and young Michael Keane shook them up, however.

There followed the Brock show and he first frustrated Northern Ireland's David Healy with a precise tip-over from a dipping 25-yard shot.

On 63 minutes, he did brilliantly to block Healy's close-range strike after good work from Macken then he reacted well to turn away a mis-hit effort from the same player.

Broughton struck a crisp drive into the diving David Lucas' hands soon after but Preston were growing stronger and stronger.

But it looked like Brock might save Harriers as he pushed another blockbuster from Healy around the post on 71 minutes.

It was just unfortunate that Macken wriggled free on 77 minutes onto an Anderson through-ball and beat the custodian at his near post with a firm finish.

Thanks to Brock, Healy was not to score, even with a vicious volley that appeared to be heading towards the top corner eight minutes from time.

Though the heroic keeper got a good hand to the shot, it fell for Gallacher to head goalwards and the scrambling Brock just could not stop the ball crossing the goal-line.

Ben Davies hooked Gregan's header out of the danger zone to earn Harriers another chance in extra-time but it was always going to be an ever-taller order.

Preston centre-back Michael Jackson firmly headed a Graham Alexander corner home on 99 minutes to decide the contest.

But Harriers never gave up and though Macken hit their bar, they pushed forward without testing Lucas.

It was just a shame only 2,227 on a night of low cup gates were there to see the tremendous fight from the men in red and white.

HARRIERS: BROCK 9; Medou-Otye 6, Ayres 7, Hinton 8, Stamps 7; Bird 8, Davies 7, Blake 7, Shilton 7; Broughton 8 (Hadley 81, 6), Foster 6 (Doyle 81, 6). Subs not used: Murphy, Ducros, Joy.

PRESTON: Lucas; Alexander, Jackson, Murdock, Eaton; Cartwright (Gallacher 46), Gregan, Rankine (Keane 46), Anderson (Creswell 106); Macken, Healy. Subs not used: Moilanen, Barry-Murphy.

ATTENDANCE: 2,227.