Back came Reading, though, and Lucas had to make a super stop to tip round a Hughes header from six yards out.

BBC: Preston 1-0 Reading

Rovers briefly rallied and Pires had to hack a Kalinic shot off the line while Friedel pushed a Chris Samba header round his post.

BBC: Aston Villa 3-1 Blackburn

Chelsea stopper Cech reacted quickly to push David Rozehnal's wayward header round the post but the Czechs broke quickly from the resulting corner, only for Libor Sionko to hit a weak shot which was easily saved by Taylor.

BBC: N Ireland 0-0 Czech Republic