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In truth, a win against old rivals Blackburn was needed to make the dream of a final top-six place more realistic, but finishing this match with two games to go and a two-point gap would have seemed impossible only a few short weeks ago.

Oh, and there’s that thing called bragging rights and the knowledge that a loss would have given Rovers a firm foothold in those play-offs.

In the first half, it was North End who edged it with Tom Cannon coming close and a trademark Ben Whiteman free-kick needing to be saved by the opposing keeper. By time the referee blew for the break it had the overall feeling that a simple mistake would swing it one way or the other in the remainder of the game.

Preston North End players line up in a wall

The second half started with a double substitution and a change of tactics by the visiting manager Jon Dahl Tomasson and it clearly worked in Blackburn’s favour.

They now looked dangerous every tine they moved forward and should have scored had it not been for the heroics of Whiteman, who somehow slid in for a block with almost superhuman ability to prevent a Ben Brereton-Diaz tap-in.

North End were looking tired, but not through lack of effort. There simply didn’t seem to be much fuel left in the tank and the otherwise excellent Patrick Bauer was substituted. In part this was tactical, to change to a back four, and in part to save him from cramping up any further.

Initially the change appeared to back-fire, as Blackburn took the lead with only 10 minutes to go. However, in a half that had felt more like an old-fashioned derby as it progressed, turned into a full blown one at this point as the Lilywhites’ players managed to draw on their reserves and find extra fight in a cup-tie atmosphere of end-to-end football.

The late drama of a Blackburn miss when through on goal for one of those breaks then led to the immediate punt forward, and substitute Liam Delap’s fierce cross that was deflected into the top corner by a Rovers defender in front of the Town End. And that’s why we love football.

Tim Mercer's PNE Fans' Panel verdict: This is WHY we love football!