Preston secured a fourth round tie at home to Division One rivals Sheffield United with a comfortable FA Cup win over Second Division Brighton.

Goals in each half from Erik Skora and Jon Macken sank the Seagulls, who have won only two of their last 10 games.

Frenchman Skora drove Preston ahead on 16 minutes and three minutes later Bobby Zamora wasted a glorious opportunity to pull Albion level when he had a penalty superbly saved by keeper David Lucas.

Lucas dived full-length to his right to push Zamora's weakly-hit spot-kick round the post.

Skora hit the opener from close-range following a cross from the left by Rob Edwards, and Macken sealed victory with a soft second on 63 minutes.

The goal will give stand-in keeper Will Packham nightmares for years to come as he allowed Macken's speculative 25-yard effort to go straight through his hands and into the net.

Zamora, who had scored in each of his previous six home games, could not add to his tally of 19 as Everton boss Walter Smith, said to be lining up a bid for the striker, looked on.

Teams:

Brighton: Packham, Watson, Mayo, Cullip, Morgan, Oatway (Jones 56), Brooker, Carpenter, Hart, Zamora, Webb (Steele 61).

Subs Not Used: Melton, Virgo, Pethick.

Booked: Watson.

Preston: Lucas, Alexander, Lucketti, Murdock, Edwards, McKenna, Anderson (Barry-Murphy 84), Skora, Keane, Healy (Robinson 90), Macken (Basham 78).

Subs Not Used: Moilanen, Eaton.

Booked: Healy, McKenna.

Goals: Skora 16, Macken 63.

Att: 6,548

Ref: R Harris (Oxford).