Rotherham United bowed out of the FA Youth Cup in the third round at the hands of Preston North End following a 6-1 defeat at Deepdale.
The Millers took the lead initially through Archie Day, but an impressive response from the Lilywhites and a brilliant individual performance from Preston’s Filipe Rodriguez-Gentile - which saw him score five times - ensured the home side a safe passage into the next round.
The hosts had the first opportunity with two minutes on the clock when skipper Mawene broke down the left before delivering a ball for Nelson, who dragged an effort just wide in what was an early warning sign for the Millers.
Moments later, Rotherham were agonisingly close to taking the lead, when Hamid Seisay saw his powerful header cannon off the crossbar, before Kanye Nisbett put the follow up wide.
The away side had started the stronger of the two and created another golden opportunity when Adam Clark was unlucky to see his deft touch from Will Jenkinson's cross kiss the outside of the far post and go wide.
Rotherham had their reward when Ben Hatton's quick feet won a corner, paving the way for Joel Holvey to deliver an inswinging cross onto the head of Archie Day who found the bottom corner to put the Millers ahead on 16 minutes.
Having just scored, Day proved he was equally capable at the other end of the field when he prevented Pemberton from delivering a low ball towards Nelson, who would have been presented with a gilt-edged chance to level.
The away side continued to carry a threat on the counter attack and Hatton would again be at the heart of the attack when he stung the palms of Davis with a powerful drive which was tipped wide by the keeper.
Having just gone close to doubling their lead, the Millers were pegged back on the half-hour mark, when Nelson's low cross fell kindly for Rodriguez-Gentile, who made no mistake to equalise from close-range.
Preston turned the game on its head just two minutes, as Rodriguez-Gentile got himself on the scoresheet for the second time, when he was picked out by Wallbank from the right flank, directing a powerful header past the outsretched arm of Ford.
The visitors looked for an instant response and almost had it when Day again rose highest to meet Holvey's corner, but this time, he couldn't make a telling contact on 37 minutes. They continued to probe for a leveller through Clark. The striker advanced down the left flank and looked to pick out fellow-attacker Nisbett but had Wallbank for company who got a foot in to take the sting out of the cross and allow Davis to gather.
Despite a spirit response to falling behind, the Lilywhites added another goal on the stroke of half time, with Rodriguez-Gentile completing his hat-trick in stunning fashion. The forward picked up possession just inside Rotherham territory and drove towards the goal before unleashing an unstoppable curling effort from distance to make it 3-1.
HALF-TIME: PRESTON 3 – 1 ACADEMY
The Millers once again came out looking bright in the second half, but it wasn't long before Preston further signalled their intent with first big chance of the half.
The skipper Mawene found space on the edge of the box, where he fashioned an opportunity with a strike towards goal, but more defensive heroics from Day in the form of an acrobatic block ensured the lead was kept at two.
Despite an energetic start, the Millers were caught out as Seary managed to forge a low cross to the face of the Rotherham goal, which was met by Rodriguez-Gentile who struck home his fourth from close range.
The Millers’ afternoon went from bad to worse as Preston struck home a fifth - it would also be Rodriguez-Gentile’s fifth of the afternoon as he headed into the roof of the Rotherham goal.
Preston piled on the damage when Rodriguez-Gentile made a run into the box and was brought down before he could get his shot away. It was the North End’s number 9 Kit Nelson who converted from the spot to add a sixth for the home side.
FULL TIME: PRESTON 6 - 1 ACADEMY
Teams
Preston U18 – Davis, Wallbank, Pemberton, Horan, Best, McGhee, Seary (Eccleston 77’), M. Mawene ©, Nelson, Kamara, Rodriguez-Gentile (Havard 83’). UNUSED: Nicholson, Wilkinson, T. Mawene, Carroll, Brindle
Rotherham U18 – Ford, Seisay (Shepherd 62’), Jenkinson, Douglas ©, Day, Champion (Harris 62’), Clark (Roddis 80’), Hatton, Holvey, Grove, Nisbett. UNUSED; Hamilton, Ayres, Bond, Mare