Preston North End 1-4 Blackburn Rovers: Tony Mowbray's side win Lancashire derby
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Lewis Travis' goal was his first for Blackburn since February 2020
Blackburn Rovers thrashed Lancashire rivals Preston North End at Deepdale to end their five-game winless run and move to within three points of the Championship play-offs.
The visitors raced into a two-goal lead, Sam Gallagher reacting quickest to scramble home after Ben Brereton Diaz's looping header came back off the post, before John Buckley's low shot flew into the bottom corner.
Mid-table Preston pulled one back when returning skipper Alan Browne cut inside his marker and saw his strike deflect past goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski, but Rovers restored their cushion before half-time through Darragh Lenihan's towering header.
A cool Lewis Travis finish from just inside the box ended the derby as a contest, with Chile striker Brereton Diaz hitting the top of the bar as Blackburn went in search of more goals.
Victory moves Tony Mowbray's side up to seventh with two games left as they chase sixth-placed Sheffield United, though Middlesbrough will move back above them if they beat Cardiff on Wednesday.
It was a resounding third win in 16 Championship matches for Rovers and a first in 10 attempts away from Ewood Park, for a side who had been the lowest scoring in the division in 2022 prior to kick-off.
The hosts backed off Buckley for the second goal, though they were slightly unfortunate that his speculative effort took a slight nick off a defender.
Preston's consolation came against the run of play and involved a bigger deflection, off the head of Blackburn defender Scott Wharton, with Rovers skipper Lenihan showing desire to leap above his marker to meet Joe Rothwell's clipped free-kick and make it 3-1.
Travis almost unknowingly scored an own goal to give Preston another lifeline, forcing a smart save from his keeper Kaminski, but the holding midfielder showed impressive composure to control and finish from Brereton Diaz's fine through-ball at the other end.
The tempo then dropped, Emil Riis Jacobsen's snapshot excellently stopped by Kaminski as Preston looked to reduce their arrears. Home keeper Daniel Iversen then saved well with his legs from Gallagher's effort before Brereton Diaz's close-range header hit the woodwork.
Blackburn have completed a league double over their near neighbours for the first time since the 2000-01 season, when they won promotion to the Premier League, while it was only a second home defeat in 12 for Preston under Ryan Lowe.
Preston manager Ryan Lowe told BBC Radio Lancashire:
"It definitely wasn't the night I was looking for, I didn't really see that coming.
"We can't give two goals away in 12 or 13 minutes - with all due respect Blackburn weren't in great form and we felt we could get on to them early, especially being at home, but it was the opposite way round.
"Ultimately we just weren't at the races and we've have been punished for it.
"We were passive in so many ways - the passing wasn't great, the aggression in getting the ball back wasn't great."
Blackburn Rovers boss Tony Mowbray told BBC Radio Lancashire:
"What pleases me most is the control in the game. I don't think at any stage we were in danger of losing. They applied themselves really well today.
"It was almost as if the pressure was lifted off them and they could play. They looked like the Blackburn Rovers team that we know that we've got.
"It was good to see two midfield players score tonight, which has been a huge issue, that we don't score enough goals from midfield."