Blackpool Vs Preston North End Big Match Preview
Coca-Cola Championship Monday 30th November 2009
With East Lancashire neighbours Burnley enjoying life in the Premier League, more emphasis has been put on, what many feel, is North End’s original derby; Blackpool. The Lilywhites make the short trip up the M55 to take on Ian Holloway’s Blackpool in what will be North End’s second consecutive game in front of the Sky television cameras on a Monday night.
North End could be in better shape, though, heading into Monday’s game having now been without a win in four matches recording two draws and two defeats. Blackpool, however, are quite the contrast, much to the displeasure of the North End faithful. The Seasiders have suffered just one defeat in their last six and are unbeaten at home so far this term.
A win for North End could see them climb their way back towards the playoff places but if the unthinkable happens, a defeat on Blackpool turf, then North End could slip into the obscurity of the second half of the table.
Current Form
Blackpool Home Form: WWWWWW
Preston Away Form: DLWLWL
Previous Meetings
No North End fan will need, nor want for that matter, a reminder of what happened when these two teams met last. Saturday 11th April 2009 will be a day that every Preston fan will want to forget, particularly around 3:43pm when Charlie Adam sent the travelling seaside contingency into raptures. That goal proved to be enough for Blackpool in what became their second 1-0 victory at Deepdale.
Because of the defeat at Deepdale it meant that the Lilywhites were unable to record the double over their tangerine counterparts following the 3-1 win at Bloomfield Road over a year ago. On loan Liverpool midfielder, now of Barnsley, Adam Hammill gave the home side the lead after just 10 minutes with a sweetly struck free kick leaving Andrew Lonergan with no chance in the North End goal.
However, North End equalised in the 55th minute through Chris Brown who headed in the first of his brace before Neil Mellor put Preston in front with a header of his own, who, to the delight of the watching North End faithful, leaped into the crowd to celebrate. Chris Brown sealed the win with a close range tap in on 77 minutes.
Team News
Influential centre half Youl Mawene will definitely not make the trip to Bloomfield Road after damaging knee ligaments in the defeat to Newcastle on Monday. The former Derby defender is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines meaning that Liam Chilvers is set to deputise.
Winger Ross Wallace is likely to feature at Bloomfield Road after sitting out the defeat to Newcastle on Monday. The former Celtic man took a knock to his knee in training in the week leading up to Monday’s game.