A 90th-minute header from Liam Lindsay earned Preston North End a 2-1 victory in an exhilarating Lancashire derby against Blackburn Rovers.

Skipper Alan Browne broke the deadlock in the 35^th minute with a fantastic touch and finish after being found by Brad Potts in a first half which saw the hosts hit the woodwork twice.

Sammie Szmodics then equalised for Blackburn Rovers four minutes into the second period, before Lindsay popped up in the final minute of normal time to head home and earn all three points.

The game was being played at a rapid pace right from the start, with the hosts having a few promising attacks, while at the other end North End could have taken a fifth-minute lead.

Fresh from his first England U19 call-up earlier in the day, Kian Best played a lovely ball down the left for Milutin Osmajić to run onto, and his cutback found Holmes, who saw his first-time effort blocked by Callum Brittain.

Jordan Storey soon came up with a crucial block to deny Sammie Szmodics a scoring opportunity from close range, before Holmes had another chance after 19 minutes, sending a shot from the edge of the area down the throat of Leo Wahlstedt in goal.

Rovers had the best chance yet in the next attack as Tyrhys Dolan’s cross from the byline found an unmarked Arnor Sigurðsson, who opened up and cushioned a volley against the bar.

There was nothing, though, to deny Browne and PNE in the 35^th minute as the skipper opened the scoring in style. Potts switched play with a great pass and the Irishman expertly brought the ball down before slamming past Wahlstedt and wheeling off in celebration in front of the home fans.

North End had all the momentum from that point, with Liam Millar and Osmajić having strikes at goal, but they took another sigh of relief right on half-time as Andrew Moran fired an effort against the crossbar.

Rovers got their goal four minutes into the second half as Szmodics took the ball down inside the area and slotted past Woodman at his near post.

Like North End after their goal, Rovers’ tails were then up and they had further chances through Moran and scorer Szmodics, but it stayed level for the time being.

It was soon PNE’s turn to be denied by the woodwork as a Potts cross fell kindly for Holmes, and the American was so unlucky to see his effort hit the inside of the post and roll agonisingly back across the goal-line.

Just two minutes later Osmajić then had the bar rattling after meeting Best’s cross with his head, although he was flagged offside anyway.

Potts had a shout for a penalty in the 71^st minute as he felt he was brought down, but referee Thomas Bramall thought otherwise.

North End’s No.44 was involved two minutes from time as he earned his side a corner, and from the aftermath of that set piece, Ben Whiteman found Lindsay in the box who stooped low to head home and cause carnage in the away end as PNE earned a late victory.

Blackburn Rovers line-up: Wahlstedt; Travis, Hill, S.Wharton, Brittain; A.Wharton, Tronstad; Sigurðsson (Leonard, 78), Dolan (Markanday, 78), Moran; Szmodics. Subs not used: Hilton, Ennis, Gamble, Batty, Garrett, Atcheson, Telalovic.

PNE line-up: Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Best; Potts, Whiteman, Browne, Millar (Brady, 69); Holmes (Frøkjær, 69); Keane (Evans, 61), Osmajić. Subs not used: Cornell, Bauer, Stewart, Ledson, Woodburn, Mawene.

Attendance: 20,596 (5,789 PNE fans).

Referee: Mr T Bramall.