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Pool v PNE: full time report
BLACKPOOL'S run of home wins came to an end as they drew with Preston North End in the Lancashire derby.
Pool took the lead after just 29 seconds when Billy Clarke curled a beauty past Andy Lonergan.
But Ross Wallace scored an equally good free kick seven minutes before the break to level matters.
And despite chances aplenty for both sides – but particularly the Seasiders – it ended all square.
Pool started the second period well and created three openings in the first five minutes.
Charlie Adam always one to relish a big game, drove a powerful shot over the bar and then stole in unnoticed to meet David Vaughan's corner but couldn't keep his header down.
Inbetween Ben Burgess found space 20 yards out but his weak shot had no chance of beating Andy Lonergan.
Hameur Bouazza fooled half the fans into thinking he'd scored on 54 minutes but his rifled right footer hit the side-netting as opposed to sneaking in. Good effort though and proof that Pool were well on top.
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But Preston were always dangerous and proved that when Richard Chaplow broke clear on 57 minutes. He was thwarted though by a clever stop from Gilks, keeping his nerve and saving with his chest.
Almost immediately Pool broke and Burgess had a glorious chance to score when Clarke's deflected effort fell into his path eight yards from goal. But he failed to hit the target, shooting past Lonergan but wide. He will be disappointed he didn't convert the chance.
Burgess was replaced by Jason Euell not long after, on 62 minutes. He quite rightly received a good ovation from the crowd. Yes he should have scored during the contest but his overall contribution was good and he played well.
Preston made their first substitution on 68 minutes when goalscorer Wallace limped off, to be replaced by Paul Parry – PNE's 250,000 summer signing from Cardiff.
After the first real quiet period of the game, Neil Mellor missed a sitter on 73 minutes. Parry raced to the right touchline and pulled the ball back into the striker's path – only for Melllor to shoot over when he really should have at least got the ball on target.
Holloway's men had gone off the boil at this point and it was little surprise when the manager attempted to shake things up with 12 minutes remaining when he brought on Brett Ormerod in place of Clarke.
The goalscorer quite rightly received a big ovation – he had a great game and wrote himself into Lancashire derby history in the process.
Jon Parkin replaced Chris Brown with five minutes left and Alan Irvine tinkered further on 88 minutes when Stephen Elliott came on for Mellor.
At the same time Holloway gave Aston Villa loan man Barry Bannan an opportunity, bringing him on for the tiring Charlie Adam for the final moments.
Bouazza had two good efforts as the game entered five minutes of added on time. First he shot wide from distance before stealing in behind the North End back four but firing over.
Ian Evatt had the final chance to win it but after getting on the end of Bannan's corner he headed straight at Lonergan.
The two teams had been locked at 1-1 at half time after a breathtaking 45 minutes of football.
Clarke gave the Seasiders a dream start with a stunning strike from the edge of the box.
Not many of the 22 players had touched the ball when Clarke found space to curl a left footed shot past Andy Lonergan and score.
There were just 29 seconds on the clock – probably the fastest ever goal in a Lancashire derby.
It was Clarke's first league goal of the season and just reward for his performances, which have improved markedly of late. He hit the post in the previous home match, against Scunthorpe.
It was nice too that the goal came in front of the home fans in the north stand. Preston had won the toss and made Pool kick that way.
The Preston fans on the east side were stunned, but their misery almost turned to joy on six minutes when Ross Wallace cut inside Stephen Crainey and fired in a shot which Matt Gilks did well to beat away. Neil Mellor blazed the loose ball well over.
A backtracking David Vaughan denied Richard Chaplow as he burst through before Clarke almost scored his second – controlling Hameur Bouazza's left wing cross but shooting straight at Lonergan on the turn.
Ben Burgess blasted a good chance over on 15 minutes after Marcel Seip flicked on Crainey's free kick. Burgess snatched at the chance a little and sent the ball high into the stand.
Adam beat Chaplow to a loose ball in the midfield and smashed a low shot from 20 yards. Lonergan had to be alert to palm the ball around the post – good effort.
This was clearly not the dreary and drab type of derby which so often occurs when two teams desperate not to lose a game so important to their supporters cancel each other out. It was wide open with both sides attacking at will and going for goals.
Burgess had the next opportunity, getting on the end of Adam's long, diagonal cross but heading straight at Lonergan. The striker then pounced on a loose ball after David Vaughan's forward run had been halted but his right foot curler was comfortably collected by the Preston keeper.
Alex Baptiste was booked on 35 minutes for a cynical foul on Mellor, stopping a threatening run on the left. Earlier PNE full back Billy Jones had also been correctly cautioned for pulling back Adam.
Clarke, a constant threat all evening, probably should have scored on 37 minutes when Charlie Adam's free kick was headed back into the danger area by Marcel Seip. Clarke got on the end of the loose ball but clipped his shot from six yards against the outside of the post.
Moments later North End equalized from a free kick 20 yards from goal. Wallace curled the ball into the top corner past Gilks in trademark fashion, a delightful finish.
Clarke smashed a terrific volley against the crossbar from 20 yards after Alex Baptiste's long ball into the area was only half cleared. It was a superb effort from the goalscorer which deserved better.
Evatt blazed a half volley over from Adam's free kick.
Meanwhile things were hotting up on the sidelines too as Ian Holloway was involved in a heated row with North End's goalkeeping coach Andy Rhodes. The fourth official had to step in to calm things down.
Earlier Holloway had made two changes as Blackpool aimed for a first Bloomfield Road victory over rivals Preston since 1997.
Bouazza started his first game since helping Algeria qualify for the World Cup.
And goalscorer Clarke, so impressive in the last home outing – when Pool came from behind to beat Scunthorpe – was recalled as Holloway once again switched his front three around.
Ormerod – who scored at Reading last week in Pool's 2-1 defeat – and skipper Euell dropped to the bench.
Bannan, a 19-year-old midfielder signed on loan deadline day from Aston Villa, started among the substitutes before getting his late chance, when he looked lively and did well.
Since that 1997 win, when goals from Andy Preece and Lee Philpott secured victory, the Seasiders had failed to take the points in four meetings on home turf since.
Holloway wanted that to change – and at the very least improve on last season when they were convincingly beaten 3-1 by North End in front of a depressed Bloomfield Road faithful. They certainly did that.
Pool went into the game in the better form. They had been unbeaten in eight home matches so far this season, and had won their last six on the bounce. The wins have ended but it's nine unbeaten at Bloomfield since the start of the campaign.
By contrast Alan Irvine's side have failed to win any of their last four outings. Make that five now.
The PNE boss had a boost before kick off though as Ross Wallace – best mate of Charlie Adam and scorer of that cracking free kick – and left back Callum Davidson passed fitness tests and started.
Centre back Youl Mawene suffered medial knee ligament damage in last week's 1-0 home defeat by Newcastle and is out for months. He was replaced by Eddie Nolan.
POOL: Gilks, Baptiste, Evatt, Seip, Crainey, Southern, Adam, Thomas, Clarke, Burgess, Bouazza. Subs: Rachubka, Edwards, Euell, Bannan, Ormerod, Taylor-Fletcher, Eardley
PRESTON: Lonergan, Davidson, Chaplow, Collins, Sedgwick, Brown, Tonge, Jones, Wallace, Nolan, Mellor. Subs: Henderson, Hart, Shumultikoski, Carter, Parry, Parkin, Elliott
REF: Kevin Friend (Leicester)
DON'T MISS TUESDAY'S GAZETTE FOR A FULL REPORT
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Weather for Blackpool
Wednesday 30 May 2012
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