Preston North End were forced to settle for a point in a pulsating Lancashire derby against fierce rivals Blackpool at Bloomfield Road

Blackpool's Billy Clarke broke the deadlock with 24 seconds on the clock, after a great left foot strike from 25-yards out. Ross Wallace equalised for PNE with an equally impressive free kick in the 38th minute, but despite numerous chances for both sides, neither side could force home a winner.

Seasiders boss Ian Holloway made two changes to the side that lost to Reading with Hameur Bouazza replacing Jason Euell in midfield and Billy Clarke starting instead of Brett Omerod.

North End also made two changes, the the first being Eddie Nolan in his preferred position at centre back in place of the injured Youl Mawene. Meanwhile Ross Wallace returned from injury to replace Paul Parry on the left side of midfield as the Lilywhites aimed to end Blackpool's unbeaten home record.

Any thought's of victory were soon put to the back of the mind though as Alan Irvine's side made a nightmare start to the game, falling 1-0 behind with barely 30 seconds on the clock. Blackpool's Billy Clarke won the ball from Michael Tonge in midfield, then struck an excellent left footed effort into Andy Lonergan's right hand corner, giving the keeper no chance. It was Clarke's first goal for the Seasiders and the home crowd were rocking.

The action was coming thick and fast after the goal, with the home crowd on their feet once again in the fifth minute following a Ben Burgess strike, luckily for PNE though, the strike wwas adjudged to be offside.

The determined Lilywhites almost scored one of their own in the very next move. First Ross Wallace and then Neil Mellor could have scored were it not for two fine saves from Matthew Gilks in the Blackpool net. The returning Wallace found space out on the right, and after selling Stephen Crainey a dummy tried to curl one, left footed past the keeper who could only palm his save into the path of Neil Mellor. The striker's powerful shot went agonisingly over the bar though, but Preston were definitely in the game.

In the sixth minute, North End pressed yet again. This time it was Chaplow with a brilliant run into the box, the midfield man managed to get his shot away, but it hit a Blackpool leg on the way through which took it out for a corner.

The next couple of chances fell to the home side, who thankfully, apart from Billy Clarke, hadn't found their shooting boots. Clarke did have one of the chances in the tenth minutes, but his turn and shot was straight at Andy Lonergan, who was as reliable as ever and saved comfortably from 12 yards.

Blackpool number nine Ben Burgess had the next chance in the 13th minute. It followed a booking for Billy Jones and what looked like an unfair challenge on Lonergan, the ball sat up nicely for Burgess, who blazed his shot over to the displeasure of the home crowd.

Whilst Chris Sedgwick and Richard Chaplow were doing their best to create openings for North End at one end, it was Blackpool who were having the most shots at goal down the other. Charlie Adams had the pick of them in the 21st minte, finding himself free down the left he lashed an effort across the face of the goal, but it had too much pace on it for any Blackpool attacker to connect with it.

As the clock showed 30 minutes Preston began to pressure the hosts from the wide areas. Two corners and two blocked shots from Wallace and Tonge showed the vistors intentions, and the crowd seemed to sense it.

The Preston eqauliser came in stunning fashion from a Ross Wallace free kick on 38 minutes. Chris Brown was brought down off the ball on the edge of Blackpool's area, with Wallace and Michael Tonge both standing ominously over the ball. It was the Scotsman who took the shot however and what a shot it was, curling beautifully into the top right corner of Gilks' net. It was no less than North End, and not least the 1700 travelling supporters deserved.

After Wallace was very harshly booked for his celebrations with the North End fans, Blackpool almost him back in the 42nd minute. It was the Blackpool goalscorer Billy Clarke who unleashed a hammer of a shot that rattled Lonergan's crossbar before being cleared calmly by Eddie Nolan in the last major chance of the first half. The score was a fair reflection of a fantastic half in which both teams had chances.

The second half seemed to have picked up where it left off. In the 47th minute Charlie Adam broke through one on one with Lonergan, but the imposing keeper didn't even have to make a save because Adam blazed his shot over from 18 yards.

It was an end to end match, which North End were definitely in. Chaplow had their best early chance in the second half, somehow engineering himself space at the far post to shoot. The box was too crowded though, and a deflection saw the keeper collect easily before launching an attack for Blackpool, resulting in a Mercel Seip header that wasn't too far from giving the Seasiders the lead again.

The 53rd minute had both sets of fans on their feet in equal states of joy. Hameur Bouazza hit a right foot shot from the edge of the area and the net rippled, much to the delight of the home fans. it wasn't 2-1 however, as it was the side netting that rippled, which the North End fans kindly pointed out to their hosts.

Just two minutes later there were two more glorious chances in what was a wonderfully entertaining game. The first and best one fell to Chaplow, who after being put clean through couldn't quite poke his shot past the onrushing Gilks. The hosts then went straight down the other end, the ball ending up at Burgess's feet, but the striker put his shot wide of Andy Lonergan. The home fans then began to show their frustration at their team's inability take their chances.

Substitute Paul Parry nearly had a telling impact on the game in the 72nd minute. His surging run down the right and beautiful cut back to Neil Mellor looked to have surely put the Lilywhites ahead. Unfortunately Mellor just was unable to connect properly with the shot and the ball went over the bar, leaving Blackpool thanking their lucky stars.

Preston were having a great little spell of pressure now, with 15 minutes remaining. Chris Sedwick was the one with the chance this time, he rose well to connect with a fantastic Billy Jones cross, his effort back across goal just cleared the far post.

The last ten minutes saw a distinct lack of chances compared to earlier in the game, perhaps because all the players, North End in particular, had given everything for the cause. The announcement of five minutes of added time did seem to get the crowd going, and it was Bouazza who responded first with a 30 yard effort wide off Lonergan's left post, followed by a right footed shot from six yards that went safely over the bar.

North End then had a chance themselves, through Chaplow. His powerful shot was once somehow blocked yet again and scrambled clear by the Seasiders back line, which launched a Blackpool attack, but a header straight at Andy Lonergan was all they could manage as the referee blew for full time.

The travelling Lilywhites fans will be delighted with a gutsy performance from their team against their closest rivals Blackpool in a cracking match. Alan Irvine's men probably had the better of the second half, but both sides had chances to win it in truth, and a draw was a fair result.