North End had kept a clean shete in the previous six games and at some point this sequence was going to end. The Whites were not outdone by any brilliance but did fall to an own goal and a penalty.
Grayson played witha back four of Woods, Huntington, Wright and Cunningham. The midfield was ddly shaped with Gallagher through the middle and Johnson out wide on the right. Gallagher had a poor game throughout although it was Johnson who was removed in the second half.
Both teams were distinctly average and this was shown in their respective league positions pre-match. There was relatively little quality on show from either side and Preston stuck to their season long plan of grinding down the opposition hoping to nick a goal at the other end.
The problem for Simon Grayson is that once Preston concede there is relatively little by way of a backup plan until the game is almost gone and caution is thrown to the wind.
Preston may count themselves unlucky to be down a goal before the break. The only real attackingmove from Rovers saw a well struck shot hit the post. This fortunately rebounded to the visitrs in the box and a shot was stabbed goalwards. Gallagher stopped the shot on the line but his clearance hit Pickord rebounding into the net.
It seemed right that the firts person to beat Pickford would be the man himself. By my count Grayson has only won two league games from a losing position, oth in League One. The odds of a recovery were fairly slim.
North End contrived to dig their own grave when they played a short corner which wasn't on given the number of defenders around. The ball was lost and Rovers broke quickly. Huntington fouled an attacker from behind in the box and Mike Dean had no hesitattion in pointing to the spot. Rhodes scored the penalty and the game was over with half an hour remaining.
Grayson, as standard, turned to his bench on the hour mark. Keane came on to play left wing whilst Reach was switched to the right. May played up front in place of Doyle alongside Garner.
Preston then pushed forward in an un-typical Grayson like manner with nothing to lose. If this had ben done earlier there might have been a different result.
Blackburn succumbed when Garner slotted home for his first of the season with a nice left foot finish. It was all hands to the pump for the remainder of the game.
Wright was sent off for a second yellow card for pulling back an opposing player when Blackburn were breaking dangerously. He will miss Saturday's game at Fulham although Clarke returned on Saturday as a substitute.
There was late drama as Garner appeared to be pushed in the box on the stroke of full time but referee Dean waved away the appeals. Preston were by no means outclassed and Blackburn are a long way short of the good sides that have already visited Deepdale this termm but there needs to be some shift in emphasis on the pitch when a goal is conceded.