Preston North End Match v Blackburn Rovers Preview

24 October 2019

Preston North End and Blackburn Rovers is a local derby that goes right back to the opening years of the Football League, and Saturday’s meeting is the 107th league encounter between the two sides.

Ticket News

Ticket Information: Blackburn Rovers Home

24 October 2019

And it is one that has certainly entertained in recent seasons; last year’s 4-1 home win memorable for some great goals and for Callum Robinson’s celebration after his strike in front of the away fans at the Bill Shankly Kop end of Deepdale.

This time around both seasons have had positive starts to the season, although injuries to key defenders – including former PNE man Greg Cunningham – have not helped Tony Mowbray’s side in recent weeks, but they still have plenty of quality in a squad that has seen serious investment.

Lilywhites boss Alex Neil may consider rotating some of his squad after they covered a significant amount of ground in Tuesday’s entertaining draw with Leeds United, with options available to him, should he wish to do so.

Whoever plays, for both sides, they can expect a white-hot derby day atmosphere, with a big crowd, looking to support their teams and try and bring out the best of them.

For Your Information
Match Details: PNE v Blackburn Rovers, Deepdale, Saturday 26th October 2019, kick-off 3pm
Competition: EFL Championship (14/46)
PNE colours: Home kit, goalkeeper in green
Click here to buy a ticket

Here’s all the coverage accessible on PNE.Com in preview of the game…

Ticket Information: It’s derby day at Deepdale this weekend as Preston North End entertain Tony Mowbray’s Blackburn Rovers on Saturday at 3pm. Click here for more information.

Match Officials: For the third time this season Preston North End will have Steve Martin as the match official, when we face Blackburn Rovers at Deepdale on Saturday. Click here for details of all the officials.

We’ve Met Before: Preston North End will face Blackburn Rovers at Deepdale for the 54th time in competitive league action on Saturday afternoon. Click here for more details of past battles.

How To Follow The Game: If you can’t make it to Deepdale for this weekend’s derby clash with Blackburn Rovers, don’t worry, we will have full coverage on PNE.Com and iFollow PNE. Click here for details of how you can follow the match.

The One And Only Issue Ten: Tuesday night’s goalscorer and big fan of a derby day goal, Tom Barkhuizen, is the cover star and main interviewee of Saturday’s latest edition of the matchday programme. Click here for details.

Team News: Preston North End manager Alex Neil has no new injury concerns after Tuesday night’s entertaining draw with Leeds United. Click here for details of the options.

Alex Neil Embraces Derby Excitement: Preston North End manager Alex Neil says that he will never play down the importance of a derby match, rather embracing the extra excitement they bring. Click here for the manager’s full interview.

Paul Gallagher Ready For A Bit Of Stick: Preston North End midfielder Paul Gallagher is looking forward to derby day on Saturday, when his former club Blackburn Rovers are the visitors to Deepdale. Click here for more from Gally.

Match Reports

Preston North End 3 Blackburn Rovers 2

26 October 2019

Preston North End produced a thrilling comeback to beat Lancashire rivals Blackburn Rovers at Deepdale.

The visitors started on the front foot and were 2-0 up after only 11 minutes, both goals from striker Sam Gallagher, but manager Alex Neil made a change after half an hour and his side came out transformed after half-time.

Tom Barkhuizen headed home from a clever head back from Sean Maguire after only eight minutes of the second period, before Daniel Johnson levelled matters from the penalty spot and with eight minutes left Barkhuizen, once again, won it with a stunning curling effort to lift the Lilywhites into the top two spots in the Championship.

The North End boss had been forced to make a late change to his plans, with Ben Davies ruled out after failing a late fitness test, with Andrew Hughes coming in at left-side centre half, but it was the East Lancashire side who came out the blocks fastest.

In fact, it was a blistering start from Tony Mowbray’s men as they went in front after just 32 seconds. A deep ball from the left was recycled by Adam Armstrong, who put over a cross from the right edge of the penalty area and Gallagher got up highest to head down and in off the foot of the left-hand upright.

PNE’s own Gallagher, former Rover, Paul, tested Christian Walton with a free kick from the left corner of the penalty area on ten minutes, following a foul on Sean Maguire and from the resulting corner, a Johnson cross from the right found an unmarked Patrick Bauer at the back post, but his header was straight at Rovers’ No.1.

But less than 60 seconds later, the score was 2-0 as Hughes’ clearance ricocheted kindly off Gallagher, into the former Southampton man’s path, and he curled a low shot, left-footed, into the bottom left-hand corner of the Alan Kelly Town End goal.

North End needed to change things and the manager decided a tactical switch was needed, Jayden Stockley brought on for North End’s Gallagher and the new man was a handful from the outset.

Moments after coming on he occupied Derrick Williams allowing a long ball to find Alan Browne, who turned the ball into the box for Barkhuizen, who got an effort in on goal, only for Manchester City loanee Tosin Adarabioyo to clear from under the cross bar.

Whatever was said in the PNE dressing room at half-time, however, had a huge effect, as the team returned with an intensity that soon took the game by the scruff of the neck.

Things were very different to the first 45 minutes from the outset, Browne setting down an early marker with a volley that Walton turned around the post from Stockley’s flick on of Declan Rudd’s long ball.

But the comeback began in earnest on 53 minutes. The ball was worked well around the box and eventually came to Darnell Fisher on the right corner of the 18-yard area. He lofted a high deep ball to the back post that looked like it might go straight out, but Maguire rose highest to keep the ball in and head it back perfectly for Barkhuizen on the edge of the six-yard box, who headed into the back of the net – making it goals in the last three home games for the attacker.

The home crowd were now in the game as well, with the atmosphere crackling inside Deepdale and chances were coming on a regular basis. Maguire almost got in and goalside of Adarabioyo on three minuets after the goal, but a good recovery and last-ditch tackle by the centre half put the ball out for a corner.

And then Stockley again caused problems, making an initial flick on, before getting the ball back from a Barkhuizen lay-off, only to see his hard low effort from the edge of the penalty area saved by Walton.

However, with 25 minutes left the Lilywhites drew level. Alan Browne burst into the box and Elliott Bennett cynically brought the Irishman down from behind, giving referee Steve Martin no other option than to point to the spot.

The calmest man in the stadium at this point was Daniel Johnson, who had to wait almost two minutes between the awarding of the spot kick and the whistle going to take it, but when he got the chance he coolly and calmly stroked the ball into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal, sending Walton the wrong way and the ground was bouncing once more.

There were strong shouts for a second penalty when a combination of Ryan Nyambe and Adarabioyo seemed to clearly smash Stockley to the floor after a ball in from Fisher on the right, but this time nothing was awarded.

But the winner arrived with eight minutes left and it was a superb strike when it came. The ball was worked in from the right-hand side, with Alan Browne receiving it just outside the ‘D’ in a central area. He fed it into Barkhuizen in the left-hand corner of the box and he opened up his body and curled an effort into the top right-hand corner – right in the stanchion – and wheeled away in celebration as the noise levels reached fever pitch.

The game management was excellent in the closing stages, with the bookings for Gallagher and Bradley Dack for very strong fouls on Rudd and Ben Pearson respectively, the frustrations of the visitors coming out, but it was the home side who went closest to a sixth goal of the game, Fisher’s 30 yard dipping free kick tipped over the bar by Walton with two minutes of normal time left.

The game though, remained 3-2 with Alex Neil’s men moving up into the automatic promotion spots in the Championship for the first time since December 2006 and the bumper crowd went home happy, with plenty of incentive to return for the next home game in a fortnight’s time.

PNE line-up: Rudd, Fisher, Rafferty, Pearson, Bauer, Hughes, Browne, Gallagher (c) (Stockley, 29), Barkhuizen, Johnson, Maguire (Potts, 90). Subs not used: Hudson, Storey, Ledson, Bodin, Nugent.

Blackburn Rovers line-up: Walton, Nyambe, Williams, Armstrong, Rothwell (Graham, 84), S Gallagher, Bell, Dack, Adarabioyo, Evans, Bennett (c). Subs not used: Leutwiler, B Johnson, Downing, Travis, Rankin-Costello, Buckley.

Attendance: 19,165 (4,592 Blackburn Rovers fans)

Referee: Mr S Martin

Ticket News

Ticket Information: Blackburn Rovers Home

24 October 2019

It’s derby day at Deepdale this weekend as Preston North End entertain Tony Mowbray’s Blackburn Rovers on Saturday at 3pm.

First Team News

Match Officials: Blackburn Rovers Home

24 October 2019

Normal matchday prices apply for this game and you can click here for a full run down of the prices and concession categories on offer for league games at Deepdale.

Tickets are now on general sale from the ticket office at Deepdale, either to be loaded to your member card or via a paper ticket. For more information on member cards and their usage, click here.

This season we are also offering print at home tickets, so you can buy online and print our your ticket without needing to collect on the day, click here for more information.

For those still turning up and buying on the day, purchases can be made in person at both the Sir Tom Finney ticket office and also use the Invincibles Pavilion ticket office, which can be used to buy tickets for any part of the ground, not just the Pavilion. The Sir Tom Finney ticket office is open from 9am on a matchday and the Invincibles Pavilion ticket office is open from 1pm.

Tickets can be purchased at Deepdale from 9am until 5pm on Thursday, 9am until 6pm on Friday night, from 9am until kick-off on the day of the game, both in person and over the ticket hotline – 0344 856 1966.

First Team News

We've Met Before: Blackburn Rovers Home

24 October 2019

Paper and print at home tickets can be purchased online at MyPNE.Com 24/7 right up until two hours before kick-off, with collections available from the Sir Tom Finney Stand collections windows, to the left of the ticket office. The online service is now fully responsive on both mobile and tablet. Or, if you have a member card, you can buy right up until kick-off on MyPNE.Com and load your ticket straight to your card!

For Rovers fans, a decision will be made late on Friday on whether tickets will be available on the day, if so, there will be no increases for matchday purchases and tickets will be available for visiting supporters from the away ticket office next to the Bill Shankly Kop on Lowthorpe Road, with cash and card payments accepted, this will open from 1.30pm.

For home fans travelling to the game, the Leyland shuttle bus will be in operation, pick up points and times are as follows: 1.20pm, Leyland Tesco; 1.30pm, Railway Pub Leyland; 1.40pm, Beam and Brycg Pub Bamber Bridge; arrive Deepdale, 2.10pm. Tickets are £3 for a single or £4 return.

Standings

Ticket Information: Blackburn Rovers Home

Match Officials: Blackburn Rovers Home

We've Met Before: Blackburn Rovers Home

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