Performance after red card gives PNE faithful lots of encouragement for the future, says Tim Mercer
On paper, a 0-0 scoreline is often the result of an uninspiring match which doesn’t live long in the memory.
Not so on this occasion, as a feisty Lancashire hotpot was served up with the trimmings of red cabbage being the colour of a card a piece by the end of the game.
The first was towards the end of the first half, when a reckless challenge by Sam Greenwood, on loan to North End from Leeds United, resulted in a straight red by the referee following some hesitation.
In real time it looked harsh, but replays showed the official was left with little choice after taking advice from his assistant.
The second occurred near the end of the ninety minutes and led to even more controversy when Milutin Osmajic was accused of biting Blackburn’s Owen Beck in the melee that followed Beck’s kick-out at Duane Holmes and subsequent sending off.
We wait to see if any further punishment is given to Osmajic above and beyond the yellow he received, but again from replays it doesn’t look good.
Blackburn arrived undefeated in the league and must have fancied themselves to get one over on their old rivals whilst they were still brimming with confidence and momentum.
However, the improvement under new manager Paul Heckingbottom is starting to show, with Preston overcoming Premier League side Fulham in the midweek League Cup fixture off the back of a decent away point at Middlesborough.
The hosts did not look troubled by Rovers in the first 45 minutes, apart from forcing a decent save out of Freddie Woodman around the half hour mark and with ex-PNE youngster, Tyrhys Dolan, hitting the post on the follow up.
And strangely, as often seems to happen, the sending off inspired the Lilywhites with two efforts on target in first-half stoppage time.
The second required an excellent save by the Blackburn keeper to keep out an Andrew Hughes header following a corner won by Brad Potts from his fierce shot being parried over the bar.
It was with some trepidation that this fan came out from his half-time cuppa with the prospect of the whole second half being played with only 10 men.
I need not have worried, as in terms of defence we seemed to continue as if it was still 11 versus 11 and were always looking to try and break forward to steal a winner.
It was encouraging that the substitutions made were clearly an attempt to get that winner and so we hope there will be continuing improvement in the weeks ahead.