Proud Preston put on a brave display against the Premiership pacesetters but Chelsea progressed after quickfire goals eitherside of half-time.

The Lilywhites never looked overawed by their moneyed opponents but failed to turn a number of half chances into goals and Nicolas Anelka and Daniel Sturridge cashed in with interest to put the tie to bed.

Anelka grabbed the first on 37 minutes, a typical sucker-punch goal, Chelsea breaking down field and the French international striker slamming the ball underneath Andy Lonergan.

Any lingering hopes of a cup upset were snuffed out two minutes after the break when Sturridge pounced after Lonergan had done well to parry a Terry header from point blank range.

North End's best chance of the afternoon came just before the break when Hilario could only get his fingertips to a Chris Brown header, Darren Carter followed up with the goal at his mercy but sent the ball over the crossbar from four yards out.

Darren Ferguson sprung a few surprises in his first game in charge at Deepdale, three changes from the team which had been defeated 4-2 seven days earlier at Bristol City. Michael Hart came in at right-back, Billy Jones was sent in to strengthen the midfield area and Youl Mawene made his return from injury after eight weeks out of action. The Lilywhites lined up in a 4-5-1 formation with Chaplow supporting a lone Chris Brown in attack.

Deepdale's biggest crowd in more than 35 years turned up to witness North End tackle Chelsea's expensively assembled squad and they were soon off their seats as the action got underway.

Eight minutes in and North End crafted the first real chance of the game. Sedgwick crossed from the right, Brown nodded the ball down and both Hilario and Chaplow challenged for the ball. There was a collision of bodies and the ball was eventually cleared by Terry.

Andy Lonergan was forced into action on the quarter hour mark. Sturridge picked the ball up on the edge of the box, drilled a ball into the feet of Lampard and he flicked a ball over the defence for Zhirkov to run on to. Zhirkov let the ball bounce before hitting the ball to the near post where Lonergan was down quickly to save with his legs.

Chelsea made an early change when Juliano Belletti was replaced by Florent Malouda in the 19th minute.

The Lilywhites were enjoying plenty of the ball down the left flank and in the 20th minute Callum Davidson started and ended a move which almost saw the Scottish full-back scoring a rare header. Davidson won the ball down the left flank, played the ball into the feet of Chaplow ahead of him and set off towards goal, the ball was played back to Wallace and he spotted his fellow countryman Davidson unmarked in the box. The ball was played onto Davidson's head and he tried to flick the ball over Hilario, but the keeper was well placed.

Michael Hart was booked in the 24th minute for a rather innocuous challenge on Daniel Sturridge on the far touchline.

Chelsea had the ball in the net on 26 minutes but the referee had already blown for a foul on Frank Lampard on the edge of the box. The ball went out to Zhirkov and he squared it to Malouda in the six-yard box who slotted it home. Chelsea's fans celebrated, Chelsea's players meanwhile surrounded referee Mike Dean to ask him why he never played the advantage. From the result free-kick Michael Ballack slammed the ball into the wall and it went harmlessly behind for a corner.

Lonergan was forced into a flying save in the 31st minute of the match. Chaplow had pulled Frank Lampard's shirt on the edge of the box conceding the softest of free-kicks. From the set-piece, Lampard poked the ball into the path of centre-half Alex and he launched a strike at goal from 25-yards on the angle. Lonergan parried the ball and it was cleared to safety.

The first goal of the afternoon came in the 37th minute. North End had a strong attack up the other end of the field but were undone by speedy counter-attack. Zhirkov found Ballack and he surged downfield before releasing Anelka in the left channel, the French striker cut inside the challenge of Hart before blasting a shot at goal that went underneath Lonergan before nestling into the net.

Five minute from half-time and North End had an amazing chance to get back on level terms. Michael Hart got plenty of space to run in to down the right flank and he delivered a great ball into the box where Chris Brown had peeled away from his marker to nod a header towards goal. Hilario could only parry the ball and Carter followed up with the goal at his mercy, he stretched out a leg but he could only turn the ball over the crossbar.

Paulo Ferreira was the next to have a strike at goal. Teed up by Daniel Sturridge on the left flank, he smashed a shot at goal from 30 yards out and it flew hard and fast but was always going over.

Two minutes into the second half and the Lilywhites were given a mountain to climb. A corner was hit in from the right and John Terry was completely unmarked in the six yard box to power a header at goal. Lonergan parried it but Daniel Sturridge was there to smash home the rebound.

On the hour mark North End made their first change of the afternoon when Jon Parkin was brought on to add more firepower to the side. Darren Carter was the man who made his way to the bench.

North End had to take the game to the Premiership leaders and Sean St. Ledger surged down the middle of the park to launch an unlikely attack. Preston got plenty of men in the box as they tried to get the goal but the ball just would not fall kindly and again Chelsea went downfield and almost scored from the counter-attack when Sturridge cut in from the right channel and curled an effort just wide of goal.

Joe Cole replaced Frank Lampard in the 66th minute, the England midfielder getting a warm round of applause from the Town End as he disappeared down the tunnel.

Moments later it was Andy Lonergan who was getting applauded by the PNE fans. Ballack picked the ball up 12 yards from goal and hit an instinctive shot which looked like it would burst the roof of the net before Lonergan stuck out an arm to divert the ball over for a corner.

Preston made a double substitution with 18 minutes left to play. Neil Mellor replaced Chris Brown in attack whilst Danny Mayor came on for his home debut, much to the appreciation of the North End fans, replacing Chris Sedgwick.

Lonergan was again on form in the 75th minute, Anelka looked marginally offside as he picked up the ball but the Frenchman wasted no time before checking inside his marker and unleashing a swerving shot from 30 yards out, the Preston keeper saved comfortably.

As North End sent men forward they were always under threat of a pacy counter and Daniel Sturridge almost wrapped things up with six minutes left on the clock when he got goalside of St. Ledger, Sturridge scrambled the ball towards goal but he couldn't divert it past Lonergan to make the game safe.

North End looked strong and hungry as the game entered its final stages but they could not unlock the sturdy door which was Chelsea's defence. Jon Parkin's header from a Callum Davidson cross two minutes into stoppage time summing up the extent of North End's chances. The header flying over the bar as Parkin just could not get enough on the ball to direct it over the bar.