The Bantams interest in the Carling Cup was ended for another season after a battling display from City had pushed their Championship opponents to the limit.

For the second round in a row, City forced their higher league visitors to extra time, but Keith Treacy's superb 109th minute strike decided the match in Preston North End's favour.

Treacy, who was City's tormentor in chief the whole evening, beat Jon McLaughlin from 25 yards with a stunning half volley to knock the wind out of Bradford's sails.

Up until that point, City had matched North End stride for stride during an enthralling tie at the Coral Windows Stadium which ebbed and flowed during the 120 minutes.

After a slow start to the match, the Bantams appeared to be finishing the half the stronger until Paul Coutts fired Darren Ferguson's men into the lead of the stroke of half time with a long drive effort.

City continued to press in the second period, but had to wait until seven minutes from the end of normal time to draw level when Jake Speight grabbed his first goal for the football club.

Speight's equaliser deservedly took the tie to extra time, where Treacy would win it for the visitors.

Perhaps with one eye on Friday evening's npower League 2 match with Southend United, Taylor made five changes to the side that lost to Torquay United.

Luke O'Brien came in for the suspended Robbie Threlfall, while Zesh Rehman, Omar Daley, Steve Williams and David Syers were also promoted up from the bench.

The visitors enjoyed the better of the early exchanges, but during a quiet opening, the main action of note came when fourth official Mr Dicicco was forced to replace one of the linemen due to an apparent injury.

Preston continued to enjoy a larger share of possession as the half progressed, but it was the Bantams who engineered the first clear cut chance of the tie.

City found themsleves in a superb position to open the scoring when Louis Moult and Gareth Evans led a two on one counter attack.

Evans elected not to use his team-mate who was in a more advanced position and went it alone.

His low shot beat Andrew Lonergan, but couldn't beat the frame of the goal as the ball rattled against the base of the post.

The dangerous Treacy serviced notice of his intentions with two testing shots in quick succession, but it was the Bantams who were looking the stronger side as the first period drew to a close.

Moult's fizzing cross caused panic in the home side as it flashed across goal before Danny Mayor hooked away from right in front of his own goal.

The on loan Stoke forward was involved again as City went close once more.

His low cross along the penalty area found Evans, who was waiting to pounce.

Evans tried to wrong foot Lonergan by sidefooting the ball towards the near post, but the Preston stopper flung out his left hand to pull off a superb reaction stop.

As the half drew to a close, an evenly fought first period appeared to be drawing to a goalless conclusion until the visitors struck.

The Bantams failed to properly clear their lines from a Preston attack and Coutts was given the space to fire in a fizzing low shot from 25 yards that beat McLaughlin and found the bottom corner.

Far from go into their shells though after the blow of conceding, the Bantams continued to give it a real go in the second half.

Within ten minutes of the restart, Taylor had brought on James Hanson to help boost City's quest for an equaliser.

Both sides at this stage went looking for goals as City continued to match a Preston side that contained only one change from the eleven that had defeated Portsmouth only days earlier.

Lilywhites sub Chris Brown fired narrowly wide of the far post, while at the other end, Williams headed over after a period of City pressure.

Taylor threw on Speight and trialist striker Chib Chilaka as City toiled for a way back into the tie.

McLaughlin was forced into a full length save by Matthew James piledriver before City grabbed their equaliser their endeavours had deserved.

Speight was perfectly placed to grab his first ever goal for the football club when he headed home from O'Brien's near post cross.

The tie was well and truly alive now, but it could have been ended in injury time when Speight's blocked shot fell into Chilaka's path.

The non-contract striker struggled to get his feet in order and his effort from around the penalty spot was deflected away as a result.

Preston had the last strike of normal time when Coutts long range drive was palmed away by McLaughlin.

In extra time, City almost jumped ahead in the tie for the first time when David Syers header hit the crossbar and bounced away.

As extra time wore on though, the Bantams appeared to understandably tire slightly and visitors took advantage as a result.

Treacy was involved again when he tested McLaughlin with a low angled drive, while Brown narrowly missed the target with a close range header.

The scores remained level at half time of extra time, but this would change soon after thanks to Preston's tricky Republic of Ireland winger.

Treacy, who moments earlier had struck the bar with a testing cross, fired his side into lead once again with a stunning half volley from around 25 yards that flew into the top corner.

The Irishman was at it again shortly afterwards when he smashed another fierce effort against McLaughlin's crossbar from the edge of the area.

City still had time for one more chance when Lonergan was caught out of his goal after cleaning up a long Bantams through ball.

The ball fell to Chilaka, but as the striker went to take aim, Treacy recovered to block the striker's path.