Preston North End verdict - It's was so different and yet so similar as North End lost to Blackpool again at Bloomfield Road
They went behind against the run of play, a poor goal to concede and one that really should not have gone in. Liam Bridcutt was down injured and subsequently substituted. There was a stoppage whilst the midfielder received treatment and trudged off the pitch.
Emil Riis, who was a real problem throughout the whole of the first half in particular, won a penalty after getting the better of Marvin Ekpiteta and Ben Whiteman stepped up to slot it down the middle. This was the point that Blackpool got out of second gear, but it was more that they were allowed to shift. North End had previously limited them and imposed themselves on the game but the second goal took the wind out of their sails and the third sunk their ship entirely., who otherwise had not really been tested.
But PNE did play well. It is so strange that, having got beat 4-2, you can say that the losing side played well, but they did. Blackpool had so little in the game but for a 20 minute spell at the end and it came with them having the lead, which put an end to PNE’s hopes.Not for the first time this season, Preston were the masters of their own downfall. They had the game in the palm of their hand, they were on top, they were getting forward, but they could not make it pay.