'I'm going to have a couple of beers': Michael Appleton toasts Blackpool's thrilling derby win against Preston North End

A Jerry Yates brace and goals from Charlie Patino and CJ Hamilton secured the derby spoils for Appleton’s men in an end-to-end encounter at Bloomfield Road.

It was some physical effort from the Seasiders, who looked to be flagging at one point and struggling to stay in the game. But the Seasiders rallied to earn the derby win, despite Preston’s late pressure.

“It’s some achievement,” Appleton said.

“In the second-half when we went 2-1 up, we created some good opportunities and some good moments in the game and looked really threatening. It just comes from putting them under pressure.

“In the first-half it was a bit of cat and mouse, a little bit of basketball without the quality at the top end of the pitch from both teams. But we were a little bit braver in the second-half and it showed.”

Appleton added: “I feel fantastic, I feel great and why shouldn’t we? It’s been a tough few weeks, lots of big games, lots of tough games, a difficult midweek fixture and result to cope with.

“It’s been a tough few weeks, so I will have a couple of beers and relax for once.

“I said after the Hull game I couldn’t wish to cherry pick a better game to play and the atmosphere today was incredible.

“Their first is a goal we shouldn’t really concede. Marvin (Ekpiteta) knows that but these things can happen. The two goals we concede we’ve given them a little bit, so we have to make sure we stop doing that.

“But what we have done is show we’re capable of scoring goals and the players showed a lot of character because it’s difficult in these games, especially after a hard week. To come out and deliver a performance like that, they’ve got to take a lot of credit for it.

“Going ahead in games is always crucial because it gives you a chance to open up and be a bit freer and we saw that once we got the goal. That was our best spell after going ahead.

“It was a great bit of skill from Sonny (Carey), he contributed well off the bench, and it was a fantastic finish from Charlie.

“You could see one or two players take an extra touch of the ball, have a bit of composure which is difficult in a derby day.”

While CJ Hamilton was Blackpool’s standout performer on the day, Yates will once again claim all the plaudits for yet another brace.

“He’s in incredible form at the minute. What’s that, six in four? That takes some doing at any level of football, never mind at this level,” Appleton said.

“For me, he will be delighted with the goals he scored and rightly so, but his biggest contribution and his best contribution was what he did in the build-up to the fourth. He’s out there putting pressure on the ball in the box, then he’s blocking a shot, then he’s putting pressure on the goalkeeper and then the ball goes loose into CJ.

“We’re all screaming on the side of the pitch to keep running and keep running but he says ‘no, I’m going to shoot from 45 yards and put it in the back of the net’. Fair play.”