Preston were made to toil for their win against a well-drilled Plas Coch outfit.

But they were up to the task and in an emotional moment Nick Sutcliffe, injured for the past six months, rose from the substitutes bench to claim the winner shortly after the interval.

This win stretches Preston's lead at the top of the table to four points over a chasing pack of Bebington, Bolton and Bowdon.

Preston began in their usual dominant fashion but Plas assembled ten men behind the ball to negate the home side's attacking prowess.

Despite controlling the game Preston frustratingly could not win any short corners. Their only attempts on goal came from Phil Bowman and Sam Sinclair but the visiting goalkeeper was equal to them.

Then coach Colin Sinclair played his wild card in Sutcliffe. The 35-year-old midfielder lifted himself from the bench, having finally shaken off an ankle injury. He immediately made his presence known on the pitch as his powerful running stretched the visitors defence.

Eventually Preston broke the deadlock when Sutcliffe combining well with Luke Wilson down the right was fed the ball in the D where he drove the ball past the oncoming keeper.

Sutcliffe with arms aloft was warmly embraced by his team-mates who were delighted to see such a popular figure make an instant impact on his long awaited return.

It was now Preston's turn to defend and they did so with enough conviction and skill to protect their advantage until the final whistle.

HA Trophy 2nd round

Preston 1 North Notts 2

Pitted against one of the leading teams from the Midland Premier league, Preston fell agonisingly short of progressing into the next round trophy in an enthralling game.

North Notts boasted a wealth of ex-National League players and foreign recruits yet Preston spurred on by their young brigade nearly upset the odds.

They laid seige on the visitors' goal in the first half winning several short corners but frustratingly squandered these chances and were made to pay as South African forward Allan Makin sent Notts into the lead with a classic breakaway goal.

But Preston, stirred by the dynamic performance of 17 year old right-half David Sullivan, fought their way back into the game. He, along with Nick Sutcliffe, tore the visitors apart down the right to win several short corners. And finally Preston's penalty corner routine clicked as Sam Sinclair scored a goal of breathtaking skill by drag-flicking the ball adroitly into the top corner of the net to level things up.

Scenting the vulnerability of their lauded opponents Preston pushed for the winning goal. And when Richard Sullivan's short corner strike looked to have been illegally stopped on the line a penalty stroke seemed certain.

But the umpire disagreed and in a cruel twist of fate the visitors were awarded a stroke of their own following a desperate diving challenge by Sullivan.

From the flick Makin sent Simon Eccleston the wrong way to seal victory for the visitors.

Preston 1 Plas Coch 0