Preston North End failed in their bid to reach the semi-finals of the Puma Youth Alliance Cup after a 2-0 exit away at Hull.

Goalkeeper Jack Cudworth was beaten once in each half. The first goal came in the third minute with the decisive second finding the net just nine minutes from the end.

PNE experienced a tough start as Hull's captain notched the early goal - a cross from the right was headed to the skipper who connected with a volley.

The windy conditions certainly didn't help the Lilywhites in their attempt to keep the ball which frequently flew over their heads.

North End also tried a new formation on the day which left Arran McCarthy as the sole man up front.

Both teams created few good chances, but when skipper Nathan Fairhurst carved out an opening for himself on seven minutes he could only fire over the bar.

PNE tried to move forward with some sustained possession and good probing play. However, the side struggled to deliver the killer final pass.

The Tigers' Ryan Kendal was twice off target before his colleague Bill Law forced Cudworth to make a smashing reflex save. The goalkeeper tipped the missile over the bar just before the break.

North End had been up against the wind in the first half and were hoping to turn that into their advantage in the second, but failed to capitalise despite Cudworth's lengthy goal-kicks.

The home side started the second half brightly and managed to swing several crosses into the box, but luckily they only produced a succession of tame finishes as well as the captain heading narrowly over.

Preston had made a trio of substitutions halfway through the second period, with Dominic Collins, Michael Conchie and Shane Erskine coming on.

Collins was introduced straight after the interval and twice came close from consecutive corners, first with a volley and then through a header.

It was soon after this second chance that Hull regained possession from a PNE throw-in. The counter-attack resulted in their second corner of the game which the Tigers converted on 81 minutes.

Hull had a chance to increase the lead near the end as Kendal delivered a ball along the goal line but his team mates were seemingly asleep as the opportunity arose.

Tom Smyth - who did a good job in central defence - struck a low effort towards goal in injury time but it couldn't breach the Hull rearguard.

Director of Youth, Dean Ramsdale, shared his view of the exit with PNE.com, claiming:

"It's nice if you get through to the next round but it is not the be all and end all. We played against a good Hull side and we haven't managed to get through.

"It was a game of very few chances for both sides and most of the football was played in the hustle and bustle of midfield where players didn't get a lot of time on the ball. We didn't get in their box enough or the ball out to our wide players.

"It is a windy arena and I was quite pleased to go in at only one-nil down at half time because I thought the second half would had been a different game, but Hull coped with the conditions better than we did."

Captain Nathan Fairhurst added: "I thought we played some good football in the first half but struggled to get going in the second. We expected an advantage with the wind in the second half but that never happened which was a bit frustrating."

The youth team are on the road again next Saturday, travelling to Stockport in the Puma Youth Alliance League.

PNE: Cudworth, Blake (Collins 46), Rogers, Appiah, C Barton, Smyth, Mayor, Fairhurst, McCarthy (Erskine 70), A Barton (Conchie 56), Miller.

Bookings: McCarthy 52, Collins 82.

By Frida Larsson