Match Preview: Blackpool (H)

31 March 2023

Preston North End and Blackpool will come head to head in the latest instalment of the West Lancashire derby at Deepdale this Saturday lunchtime.

Match Information
Venue: Deepdale
Date: Saturday 1^st April, 12.30pm kick-off
Competition: EFL Sky Bet Championship (Matchday 39/46)
Kit: Home kit – 30% off in-store and online!

Supporter Information

Tickets for this fixture are on sale to supporters on the club's database prior to and including the Tottenham Hotspur FA Cup fixture in January 2023. These fans can buy online from www.mypne.com, in person from the ticket office and over the phone on 0344 856 1966.

There is limited availability remaining for supporters who would like to purchase a ticket, or swap their usual season card seat, to the Bill Shankly Kop for Saturday’s game. Fans in the Kop should note that there will be no alcohol sales during half-time to either home or away supporters in this stand.

The fan zone will be open to PNE fans before the game, with doors opening from 10am, and it will also reopen after the match. Full timings and details can be found in our Matchday Information article.

Fans should be aware that Lowthorpe Road – between its junctions on Blackpool Road and Lowthorpe Crescent – will be blocked to pedestrians and vehicles from 9.30am until around 3pm on the day of the game. There will also be no access to Lowthorpe Road at its junction with Bill Shankly Crescent.

The matchday shuttle bus will be running for this fixture, with return tickets costing £5 and supporters can pay the driver once boarding the bus. Full timings can be found below:

Leyland Tesco (Stop A – Car Park) – 10.50am
The Railway Pub, Leyland – 11am
Ye Olde Hob Inn, Bamber Bridge – 11.05am
Beam and Brycg Pub, Bamber Bridge – 11.10am
Arrive at Deepdale, Lowthorpe Road – 11.30am

How To Follow The Game

As this derby match has been selected for Sky Sports coverage, the game will be unavailable to watch live on iFollow PNE in regions worldwide.

Live commentary will, however, be available as usual, with Guy Clarke and Andy Fensome on the mic – audio match and monthly passes can be purchased here.

There will also be plenty of coverage before, during, and after the game on our social media channels and here on PNE.Com.

In The Dressing Room

Manager Ryan Lowe confirmed in his pre-match press conference that Greg Cunningham will miss the remainder of the season with a hamstring injury.

Liam Lindsay, who has been absent in recent weeks, is back in full training and will be in contention to feature, while striker Ched Evans will be assessed ahead of the game.

All players who were away on international duty during the past fortnight have returned to Euxton unscathed.

A Look At Our Visitors

Mick McCarthy’s side arrive at Deepdale in need of points if they’re to avoid the drop come May, as they currently sit four points below the dotted line.

The season started with former PNE man Michael Appleton in charge and, after his departure in the middle of January, the experienced McCarthy came in and has since overseen two wins.

With teams at either end of the division still to come in the Seasiders’ end of season run-in, there could be plenty of ups and downs between now and 8^th May.

Going Head To Head

Games played: 97
PNE wins: 46
Draws: 19
Blackpool wins: 32
Last PNE victory: PNE 1-0 Blackpool, 5^th April 2022

One To Watch

One man the Tangerines will be looking towards to help them escape the threat of relegation is forward Jerry Yates.

The 26-year-old striker has 12 goals to his name in all competitions so far this season – including the two which he scored in the reverse fixture against North End back in October.

As the club’s main source of goals, Yates will be desperate to add more to his tally before the end of the campaign, especially given the ACL injury which Gary Madine suffered before the international break.

Match Officials

Experienced Premier League official Andre Marriner will be taking charge of Saturday’s Lancashire derby.

It will be the first time he has refereed a PNE match since January 2021, when North End lost 1-0 on the road against Sheffield Wednesday.

So far this season, Marriner has shown 57 yellow cards and two reds in his 17 matches.

Match Reports

Match Report: PNE 3 Blackpool 1

1 April 2023

Preston North End enjoyed a dominant performance on derby day as the Lilywhites came out 3-1 winners at home to Lancashire rivals Blackpool.

Brad Potts – formerly of the visitors – opened the scoring with a rocket, before Ben Whiteman then netted a great goal of his own from a 20-yard free-kick.

In the early stages of the second half, Tom Cannon made it three and North End took all three points, despite a late consolation by Jerry Yates.

There were three changes made to the North End side who started in the last game against Middlesbrough, with Andrew Hughes, Liam Lindsay and Troy Parrott all coming into the side.

Both teams had early opportunities to take the lead, with Whiteman firstly seeing a promising effort parried away by Chris Maxwell, before Freddie Woodman did well at the other end to tip a CJ Hamilton shot onto the post.

It wasn’t long before North End were ahead, though, and what a strike it was. As the ball made its way to Potts on the corner of the box, he lined up the strike and expertly found the far corner, cuing pandemonium inside Deepdale.

Woodman was required once more in the 19^thminute when Hamilton again tried his luck, and the goalkeeper made the save at his near post.

The volume was then cranked up even further inside the ground on 26 minutes when Whiteman stepped up to a 20-yard free-kick and pulled off an inch-perfect strike to beat Maxwell and make it two.

It was almost three soon after through Jordan Storey, who saw a close-range header just reached by Maxwell and tipped over.

Cannon did manage to get North End’s third in the early stages of the second half as Álvaro Fernández raced forward and slipped the Everton forward in, who in turn struck an effort in off the post in front of a packed-out Town End.

The visitors had presentable opportunities to pull a goal back in the following stage, firstly through substitute Ian Poveda who was denied by Woodman, before Morgan Rogers then headed wide from just a few yards out.

Liam Delap had a golden opportunity to find a fourth for his side after being put through on goal by Cannon, but his attempted dink was blocked by Maxwell.

Woodman then came up with a big save himself to deny Poveda, who had skipped past Browne before firing low at goal.

Yates did manage to get a very late consolation strike for the visitors, but that wasn’t to affect the outcome of the game as Ryan Lowe’s side won on derby day.

PNE line-up: Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Hughes; Potts (Ledson, 74), Whiteman, Browne, Johnson (Onomah, 83), Fernández (Brady, 83); Cannon, Parrott (Delap, 67). Subs not used: Cornell, Bauer, Woodburn.

Blackpool line-up: Maxwell; Gabriel, Nelson, Husband; Lyons, Husband, Dougall (Patino, 45), Hamilton; Anderson (Poveda, 45), Yates, Hamilton (Bowler, 45), Rogers. Subs not used: Grimshaw, Carey, Thompson, Garbutt.

Attendance: 18,834 (2,196 away fans).

Referee: Mr A Marriner.

Ticket News

Blackpool Tickets Available On Matchday

30 March 2023

Subject to availability, tickets for Saturday's Lancashire derby will be available to buy on the day.

Preston North End will take on their Lancashire rivals at Deepdale on Saturday 1st April, with the game kicking off at 12.30pm.

All supporters who have bought a ticket prior to and including the FA Cup fixture against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday 28th January can buy a ticket.

Fans can buy online from www.mypne.com, over the phone on 0344 856 1966 and in person from the ticket office at Deepdale.

Tickets will be available to buy on the day from 9am from the main ticket office, while the Invincibles ticket office will be open from 10am.

Please note, tickets in the Kop are now sold out.

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