How Blackpool and the returning Keshi Anderson got on against Preston in the Central League

The 27-year-old got 60 valuable minutes under his belt as he made his first appearance in tangerine since November.

Stephen Dobbie’s side found themselves on the wrong end of a 3-0 defeat against a strong Preston side that included a number of first-teamers, with David Cornell, Patrick Bauer, Josh Onomah, Ben Woodburn and Liam Delap all starting.

The development squad have now lost their last three games in the Central League having previously topped the table.

As for Pool, Stuart Moore and Beryly Lubala were the only senior players to play alongside the returning Anderson.

First-team bosses Mick McCarthy and Ryan Lowe watched on as goals from Delap and an Onomah double handed the away side victory.

Both sides wore black armbands in memory of Blackpool fan Tony Johnson, who died over the weekend at the age of 55.

The game’s first opening came the way of Blackpool, as Lubala side-footed over the bar from the edge of the box after being teed up by Brad Holmes.

The Lilywhites hit back with two good chances of their own, Delap smashing against the post from close range before Jacob Slater blazed over from the resulting corner.

Blackpool weren’t so lucky a few moments later though when Josh Onomah drilled home from just inside the box to give Preston a seventh minute lead.

The Seasiders responded well though and ought to have levelled immediately when the unmarked Joe Strawn headed over from eight yards out.

They would live to regret that miss because Preston would shortly double their lead through Delap, who struck high into the roof of the net following an ugly goalmouth scramble on the Blackpool goalline.

Anderson almost capped his return with a goal with a smartly-struck 25-yard free-kick which beat the wall, but Cornell did well to fly across his goal and make the save.

Blackpool upped the pressure midway through the first-half, going close with another Strawn header which this time found its target, but Cornell was in the right place to make the save.

The hosts almost reduced the deficit before half-time as a deflected cross hit the outside of the post, before Will Squires headed over from the following corner.

The half ended with former Seasider Woodburn squandered a gilt-edged chance to add a third for Preston, somehow managing to side-foot wide with an open goal gaping in front of him.

The second-half began in the same fashion as the first, with Preston adding a third courtesy of Onomah’s second - the midfielder firing home after capitalising on a loose ball inside the Blackpool box.

Moore denied Preston a fourth with an excellent stop with his right foot to divert Woodburn’s low effort around the post.

At the other end, Owen Moffat - who replaced Anderson on the hour mark - squandered a good chance to pull one back when he delayed his shot after dribbling past his man.

The second-half was otherwise a fairly dull affair, with both sides opting to make a number of changes which impacted on the flow of the game.

With league leaders Accrington Stanley also losing to Huddersfield Town, that means Blackpool remain five points adrift at the top of the table.

TEAMS

Blackpool: Moore, Donkor, Lankshear, Squires, Trialist, Nyame (Moffat), Mariette, Anderson (Lescott), Strawn, Lubala, Holmes (Francis)

Subs: Cunningham, Oliver

Preston: Cornell, Taylor, Slater, Kamara, Bauer, Onomah (Mawene), Seary, Woodburn (Pasiek), Cross-Adair, Brady (Best), Delap

Subs: Davis, Nelson