Preston’s Danny boy storms Palace

PRESTON boss Billy Davies hailed Danny Dichio after the striker’s double took Preston into the FA Cup fifth round at the expense of Crystal Palace.

Dichio's goals helped North End come from behind to earn a 2-1 win at the home of their Coca-Cola Championship rivals in last night's fourth-round replay and extend their unbeaten run to 23 matches.

Dichio's efforts were his first since August and took his tally since his summer move from Millwall to just three, but Davies insisted Dichio's lack of goals were not a problem.

"His contribution has been first-class, and he is unlucky not to have scored more," said Davies. "He should have about eight goals by now.

"His presence and his stature has been applauded by all at the club since he arrived. He is a tremendous guy to have at the club, so I'm delighted for him and the team."

The match looked to be heading Palace's way when Darren Ward put them in front in the 25th minute, but Dichio equalised nine minutes later.

There were few chances in the second half and the match appeared to be heading for extra-time, but two minutes from full-time Dichio headed home Paul McKenna's free-kick from the right to earn North End a home tie against either Middlesbrough or Coventry in the fifth round.

Davies continued: "Making into the fifth round is a wonderful financial situation for the club especially with the game being at home.

"It has been a long time since we were beaten, and we have plenty of belief. People said we over-achieved by reaching the play-off final last season and people will say we are doing so again this year.

"But we believe we have a right to be where we are."

Palace boss Iain Dowie criticised his side's defending for Dichio's winner - and claimed they had done enough to win the game.

Dowie also expressed his disappointment at a crowd of 7,356, which was the third-lowest of the season at Selhurst Park.

He said: "I don't know what our defenders were doing for the winning goal. It was a good ball into the box but we could and should have dealt with it.

"People will say we can concentrate on the league, but at the moment that is no consolation and I'm very disappointed to be out of the FA Cup.

"We had enough of the ball to have won, but we were not clinical enough with our final pass.

"It was a very low crowd and that is a shame."

CRYSTAL PALACE: Kiraly, Ward, Hudson, Boyce, Borrowdale (Andrews 90), Riihilahti, Watson, Reich (Soares 90), McAnuff, Johnson, Freedman (Macken 72).

PRESTON: Nash, Mawene, Mears, Hill, Lucketti, McKenna, Sedgwick, O'Neil (Hibbert 87), Lewis Neal (Nugent 74), Agyemang, Dichio.

Ref: P Armstrong (Berkshire).