LEEDS UNITED 4 (Becchio 14, Bruce 20, Somma 27, 39) PRESTON 6 (Parkin 4, 40, 62 Treacy 54, Davidson 57, Hume 79)

Leeds: Higgs, Hughes, Bruce, Collins, McCartney, Gradel, Howson (Clayton 74), Johnson, Sam (Kilkenny 60), Somma, Becchio (Watt 74). Subs: Brown, Naylor, Faye, Nunez.

Preston: Lonergan, Morgan, Jones, Davidson, St. Ledger, Russell, Treacy (Gray 88), Coutts, Barton, Parkin (Hayes 88), Hume  Subs: Mayor, Arestidou, McLaughlin, Wright, Parry.

Referee: N Miller

Booked: Parkin

Att: 22,727

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United manager Simon Grayson named an unchanged side from the one which beat Sheffield United at the weekend. His switches came on the bench where an injured Ross McCormack was replaced by debutant Honduran international Ramon Nunez and Adam Clayton came in for the suspended Rob Snodgrass.

Grayson's men went into the game on the back of a hardx-fought derby victory, but Grayson's men were trailing to Preston after just four minutes. Keith Treacy escaped down the left and when Shane Higgs parried his shot, Jon Parkin was on hand to tap the ball home from close range.

Leeds were level inside the quarter-hour, though. George McCartney cut in from the left and his pin-point cross was perfect for Luc iano Becchio to head home.

Higgs was immediately called upon to make a save as Preston looked to respond, but after Davide Somma had two shots parried as Leeds came forward, United were soon in front.

Jonny Howson was the provider on this occasion with another good cross and central defender Alex Bruce got up well to head home his first goal for the club.

Leeds were looking threatening when going forward and the double salvo had clearly rocked Preston after their bright start. Both Lloyd Sam and Max Gradel were threats with Davide Somma and Becchio looking dangerous down the middle.

And it was no surprise when Sam played in Somma for a third goal on 27 minutes, the South African's shot taking a deflection before beating Andy Lonergan. It was almost four before the half-hour when Preston had to scramble away two crosses.

Leeds were absolutely dominant in the contest and the visitors were really struggling to keep Grayson's men at bay. Yet, on the rare occasions they escaped the cosh, they looked a threat, and on 35 minutes Parkin shot inches over the top from distance.

They were even further behind before half-time, though. Somma made an intelligent run and cut inside from the left before delivering a great finish past Lonergan to make it 4-1 on 39 minutes.

The first half was bordering on the ridiculous and less than 90 seconds later Preston broke quickly straight from the re-start for Parkin to pull a second goal back.

Higgs had to make another low save before the interval as Preston suddenly shaped up again, and the visitors won a series of corners in the moments leading up to the half-time whistle. And in the final minute a hacked clearance off the line denied Craig Morgan, who had a great chance to reduce the arrears further.

The second half started in the same vein as the first ended. United were denied, the visitors stormed down the other end to win a corner, and Becchio was crowded out as he looked to get on the end of a Gradel cross.

But another goal came in the 54th minute when the visitors made it 4-3. Keith Treacy was the scorer when his inswinging corner eluded everyone, despite the best efforts of Somma on the line.

Moments later, Preston had a chance to get back on level terms when George McCartney was adjudged to have fouled Paul Coutts. Callum Davidson stepped up and smashed the ball straight down the middle to make it 4-4.

And Preston completed a remarkable comeback shortly after the hour. Parkin turned on the edge of the box to latch onto the ball and delivered a superb finish to leave Higgs with no chance.

Grayson made his first change in the wake of the goal, Neil Kilkenny replacing Sam, and what followed Parkin's third was the longest period of the game without a goal. Both sides were still enjoying good spells of possession, but for the first time since the opening few minutes, Leeds were playing catch-up.

It was Somma who went close on 76 minutes when he tried his luck from distance as United looked to get back into a game that had earlier appeared to be in the bag.

But it was Preston who got the next and what could prove to be the most decisive goal of the night. Billy Jones floated in a cross and Ian Hume was well-placed to head home Preston's sixth goal of the night.

As the clock ticked down, United had a brief spell of pressure, but Lonergan collected a corner to give the visitors the chance to get the ball forward again. When Leeds came back again Somma fired a shot wide of the mark, but as the game headed into the final minute, Preston were on the verge of victory.

Five minutes of stoppage time gave faint hope, but after Sanchez Watt was crowded out and Bradley Johnson went close with header, the clock ran out as the visitors celebrated a truly remarkable victory.