A six-goal thriller ended all-square at Deepdale as both Preston and Reading ensured they would be in the draw for the fourth round of the FA Cup.
Preston had to level three times in an action-packed first half.
But if defenders were all at sea in a first period that saw Preston's Michael Jackson and Claude Davis both put through their own net and Ricardo Fuller head home his 15th and 16th goals of the season they scrambled manfully in the second half to prevent any further goals.
Three strikes inside the first 13 minutes got this all-First Division clash off to a flying start.
Reading arrested a run of three straight 3-0 league defeats last week when they drew 1-1 at Walsall, but they quickly put their troubles behind them.
Summer signing Scott Murray swung over a pinpoint free-kick in the sixth minute, and Reading striker Shaun Goater leapt highest to power his header beyond Jonathan Gould.
The visitors' lead lasted little more than two minutes. Preston's Fuller darted to the byline and set up Brian O'Neil with a classic pull-back which the former Celtic man superbly dispatched into the top left-hand corner from 25
yards.
Back came Reading. With only 13 minutes on the clock, Graeme Murty's penetrating cross was sliced into the top corner of his own net by Preston defender Jackson to hand the lead back to the visitors.
Fuller then headed Chris Lucketti's cross over the bar when well placed, and Reading goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann did well to hold Michael Keane's stinging 20-yarder as Preston looked to force their way back .
Hahnemann held another goalbound shot, this time from Eddie Lewis, but could do nothing to keep out Fuller's bullet header.
David Healy swung in a cross in the 32nd minute, and Fuller powered home his 15th goal of the season in style.
Reading were back in front five minutes later when Murray whipped in a dangerous cross and this time Davis inadvertently put through his own goal, deflecting the ball beyond motionless goalkeeper Gould.
The scoring continued, and Preston hauled themselves level for a third time through the inspired Fuller who flung himself at another Lewis cross to head home on the stroke of half-time.
The see-saw action was unrelenting after the break, although neither side was able to work any clear openings.
Steve Brown was booked for his lunge on Fuller, and Healy also received a yellow card for dissent - while Reading substitutes Dean Morgan and John Salako
replaced Basir Savage and Nick Shorey respectively.
Keane and Davis both tried their luck from distance without troubling Hahnemann, while Reading's Steve Sidwell struck the wall with a 25-yard free-kick.
Graham Alexander went close to breaking the deadlock, forcing Hahnemann to turn away his drive from the edge of the box.
Healy then dragged his shot wide as Preston hogged possession - and although crosses continued to rain in on both penalty areas, defenders rather than strikers came out on top.
Salako kept Gould on his toes with a 25-yard free-kick, and another long-range shot from Healy was well held by Hahnemann.
Gould then denied Morgan with his feet right at the death.
Teams
Preston Gould, Alexander, Davis, Lucketti, Jackson, Lewis,
McKenna, O'Neil, Keane, Healy, Fuller (Abbott 83).
Subs Not Used: Lonergan, Etuhu, Mears, Cartwright.
Booked: Healy.
Goals: O'Neil 9, Fuller 32, 45.
Reading Hahnemann, Murty, Williams, Brown, Shorey (Salako 65),
Murray, Newman, Sidwell, Harper, Savage (Morgan 57), Goater.
Subs Not Used: Young, Ingimarsson, Watson.
Booked: Brown.
Goals: Goater 7, Jackson 13 og, Davis 37 og.
Att: 9,428
Ref: E Ilderton (Tyne & Wear).
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