Blackpool humbled in the derby by rivals PNE to leave survival chances hanging by a thread

Ryan Lowe’s side strolled to a comfortable 3-1 victory at Deepdale to take the derby spoils and avenge their defeat at Bloomfield Road earlier in the season.

Mick McCarthy’s side actually started okay and had two or three presentable openings early on, but once the goals went in – the first coming via ex-Seasider Brad Potts – they never looked like recovering.

Blackpool’s performance for the remainder of the first-half was frankly pitiful as they failed to perform the basics required of a professional football team.

With today’s televised game kicking off at the earlier time of 12.30pm, the Seasiders remain four points adrift of safety, albeit relegation rivals Cardiff City - who visit Bloomfield Road on Good Friday - have two games in hand, the first of which comes against South Wales rivals Swansea City this afternoon.

Jordan Thorniley was omitted from Blackpool’s squad despite being described as “fine” by Mick McCarthy during the build-up.

There were fears Thorniley would be missing after the defender suffered his third concussion of the season during the defeat to Coventry City prior to the international break.

But speaking on Thursday ahead of this lunchtime's derby, McCarthy said Thorniley had passed all of his tests with “flying colours”.

Despite this, the 26-year-old was left out of Blackpool's 18-man squad.

Jordan Gabriel took Thorniley’s place in the backline, while Kenny Dougall and Keshi Anderson replaced Lewis Fiorini and Charlie Patino.

Patino dropped down to the bench, but Fiorini missed out altogether.

Marvin Ekpiteta, Charlie Goode, Liam Bridcutt, Kevin Stewart, Tom Trybull, Shayne Lavery, Jake Beesley and Gary Madine all missed out through injury.

As for Preston, they made three changes to the side that lost 4-0 to Middlesbrough in their last game.

Andrew Hughes, Liam Lindsay and Troy Parrott replaced the suspended Bambo Diaby, the injured Greg Cunningham and Ryan Ledson.

Cunningham was ruled out for the rest of the season after tearing his hamstring in the game against Boro.

Ched Evans missed out through injury, while Ali McCann and Emil Riis are also sidelined.

The Seasiders set up in a back three, with Jordan Gabriel playing on the right of Curtis Nelson and James Husband, while Andy Lyons and CJ Hamilton were the two wing-backs.

The game’s first opening came the way of the hosts, as former PNE man Chris Maxwell got down well to push away Ben Whiteman’s curling effort from the edge of the box.

Tom Cannon went down in the box as he looked to get a shot off on the rebound, but experienced official Andre Marriner waved away the penalty appeals.

Blackpool threatened for the first time in the eighth minute when Keshi Anderson pounced upon a poor pass from Alvaro Fernandez to exchange a quick one-two with Morgan Rogers before being denied by the foot of the post.

The visitors maintained the pressure, Andy Lyons curling inches wide with an effort that looked to be heading in before it took a slight deflection.

Just as Pool were beginning to pose one or two questions, their good early work was undone when Preston took the lead out of nowhere.

It was a soft goal to concede from Blackpool’s point of view as they failed to clear their lines from a deep cross that looked to be of no danger.

But CJ Hamilton could only head weakfully straight to the feet of former Seasider Brad Potts, who rifled a pinpoint effort across Maxwell and into the far corner, before predictably celebrating in front of the away end.

Hamilton looked to immediately make up for the unconvincing header when he exchanged a quick give and go with Rogers before being denied by Woodman on his weaker right foot.

Despite posing a threat going forwards, the Seasiders continued to shoot themselves in the foot at the other end of the pitch with some very basic errors.

Callum Connolly conceded a needless free-kick for a pull back on Alvaro Fernandez, which presented PNE with a shooting opportunity just 25 yards out.

Ben Whiteman took full advantage, curling over the wall and into the bottom corner to double his side’s lead. Maxwell, who appeared to be taken by surprise by Whiteman’s decision to shoot rather than cross, was late to get over.

The visitors fell to pieces at this point and Preston smelled blood, Jordan Storey almost adding a third only to be denied by Maxwell who was able to backtrack and tip over his looping header.

The game entered into a lull prior to the break, with Preston happy to sit back and soak up any pressure in the knowledge they had a two-goal lead to fall back on.

McCarthy had clearly seen enough at half-time because he acted quickly by making three changes, introducing Charlie Patino, Josh Bowler and Ian Poveda off the bench.

The changes provided Blackpool with a much-needed attacking impetus, but what it also did was open up huge pockets of space for Preston to exploit on the break.

Just six minutes into the second-half they took full advantage of this by adding a third through Tom Cannon, who slotted home in off the post following a swift counter-attack.

“We’ve had a shot” was the chant from the away end as two of Blackpool’s substitutes combined to create an opening - Bowler being denied by Woodman after meeting Poveda’s pullback from the left flank.

Rogers missed a gilt-edged chance to at least make things interesting on the hour mark when, left completely unmarked, he headed wide of the target from James Husband’s pinpoint cross.

The defender provided another dangerous cross just two minutes later but this time Andy Lyons headed over, albeit this opportunity was a tougher one than Rogers’.

With 20 minutes remaining, substitute Liam Delap should have added a fourth for Preston on the break but Maxwell raced off his line to thwart him.

While the result was done and dusted, Blackpool did look for a late consolation, Poveda being denied by the legs of Woodman after cutting in from the left.

Blackpool did at least end the game on a good note as Yates added a consolation goal in the 88th minute, tapping home virtually on the goalline.

TEAMS

Preston: Woodman, Storey, Lindsay, Hughes, Potts (Ledson), Whiteman, Johnson (Onomah), Browne, Fernandez (Brady), Cannon, Parrott (Delap)

Subs not used: Cornell, Bauer, Woodburn

Blackpool: Maxwell, Lyons, Gabriel, Nelson, Connolly, Husband, Hamilton (Bowler), Dougall (Patino), Anderson (Poveda), Rogers, Yates

Subs not used: Grimshaw, Thompson, Garbutt, Carey

Referee: Andre Marriner

Attendance: 18,834 (2,196 Blackpool)