Preston 1-2 Blackburn: Paul Lambert wins first Rovers game

Paul Lambert tasted a sweet Lancashire derby victory in his first game since being appointed Blackburn manager as they beat Preston 2-1 at Deepdale in the Sky Bet Championship.

Joe Garner gave Preston hope after a Jordan Pickford own goal and a Jordan Rhodes penalty had put Rovers 2-0 up in the second half, but the visitors held on to win the local rivals' first competitive meeting since 2001.

Preston defender Bailey Wright was then sent off for a second yellow card in the final minute.

The result halted a run of six unbeaten games for Preston and means Blackburn have now gone four matches without defeat in the Sky Bet Championship.

Preston started the game the better and their first opening came after 10 minutes when Paul Gallagher fired an effort from 18 yards which was held by Jason Steele low to his left at the second attempt.

And the hosts, who had previously kept a club record-equalling six successive clean sheets, continued to press as Adam Reach squandered an opening down the left before Steele caught Alan Browne's attempted lob from 20 yards.

Shane Duffy went close to opening the scoring after 22 minutes, when he headed a Craig Conway corner just wide from 12 yards.

Lambert's side took the lead after 31 minutes.

Corry Evans' shot from 20 yards came back off the post before Paul Huntington cleared Duffy's strike off the line, but the ball struck goalkeeper Pickford and dribbled into the net - meaning Preston had conceded their first goal in 570 minutes of football.

On the stroke of half-time, Daniel Johnson almost equalised with a free-kick attempt from the edge of the area, which curled just wide of the far post.

Blackburn had the first chance of the second half as Craig Conway broke down the left but his strike on the angle from 20 yards was over the bar.

And Lambert's side took a huge step towards victory after 52 minutes when Chris Taylor was brought down by Huntington in the area and referee Mike Dean pointed to the spot.

Rhodes slotted the ball home to make it 2-0. Garner, seeking his first Championship goal, missed a great chance to pull one back moments later, slicing Reach's cross wide when unmarked from eight yards.

But Garner did score after 67 minutes, picking up on the loose ball and driving low into the corner from 15 yards to drag Preston back into the game.

Simon Grayson's side pushed for the equaliser, opening space for Blackburn to exploit. When Ben Marshall broke forward after 77 minutes, his cross was cleared to Martin Olsson who wastefully fired over from 20 yards.

Preston piled on the pressure and Grant Hanley was forced into a superb defensive header to clear Gallagher's free-kick after 83 minutes to maintain Blackburn's lead.

And in added time Wright picked up his second yellow card, for pulling down Bengali-Fode Koita, and was dismissed.

Preston boss Simon Grayson:

 "I think we deserved something. When you look back over the course of the game probably the least we deserved was a point.

"It was a typical derby match, a lot of tackles and things bobbling around. We felt we had to up the tempo in the second half and we responded really well.

"I think we had Blackburn camped in their own half for much of the game and we just needed a little bit of extra quality that we just didn't have.

Blackburn boss Paul Lambert:

"It was strange being back. After nine months out, for the first time in 40 years I was enjoying my life. Then you are back in the hot seat - the highs and lows - but it's great to be back.

"We played a terrific game of football. The atmosphere was great in the stadium and we scored two goals against a team that hadn't conceded in six games.

"The team deserves so much credit for that and I think we looked a threat every time we went forward."