Ben Whiteman drives from long distance having been unmarked in midfield.

But the Preston man's low strike is well dealt with by a diving Aynsley Pears as Blackburn weather a rare second half push from Preston.

Daniel Johnson is brought off as Preston make a change.

He's replaced by Ali McCann.

This game has tipped in Blackburn's favour as they camp out in the Preston half of the field.

Sammie Szmodics goes down from a Patrick Bauer challenge outside the Preston box and the visitors win another free-kick.

Steve Eyre
Former Rochdale boss on BBC Radio Lancashire

Blackburn Rovers have got the legs, those substitutions were the right thing to do.

Preston are on the verge of blowing up. They've got no legs left.

Blackburn are coming on strong.

There's an energy to this second half which is making me tired just watching it.

How on earth is this still goalless? Joe Rankin-Costello gets another chance in front of goal but sends a low effort wide once again.

Kevin Gallacher
Former Blackburn striker on BBC Radio Lancashire

The atmosphere is phenomenal, it will be hard for the players to hear their team-mates on the pitch.

The players will start to tire now because the pace of this game has not let up.

Andy Bayes
BBC Radio Lancashire

It's a great spot by the officials - he's punched that into the net.

Image source, Rex Features

That's a massive let off for Preston.

The hosts go to sleep at the back, Ben Brereton Diaz plays a quick ball to Sammie Szmodics who's on the way down and outstretches his arm and handles it in off the crossbar.

He chances it and celebrates the goal but it's disallowed and Szmodics gets a yellow card for his trouble.

You don't get a more blatant handball than that.

A Preston corner now and it's whipped into the Blackburn box.

Patrick Bauer looks to get on the end of it but Rovers block his effort and the ball pinballs around the box until the hosts win another corner.

Daniel Johnson gets hold of the ball on the edge of the box and fires low but it's rebounded away.

Frantic!

Joe Rankin-Costello is well in the mix of it at the minute.

Blackburn work the ball to him on the verge of the Preston box but he's completely unmarked and he has the time to turn and shoot.

But his strike goes well wide of the mark.

Lewis Travis and Joe Rankin-Costello exchange a series of passes in the Preston box which the hosts eventually block away but had Rankin-Costello managed to get a shot away, that could have a been goal of the season candidate.

Eventually Ben Brereton Diaz gets hold of the ball on the other side of the box but his shot is blocked away for a corner which is immediately headed away by Patrick Bauer.

Preston win a free-kick inside the Blackburn half now which is headed away and out for a goal-kick no sooner does it enter the Rovers box.

The hosts keep pressing, however, but eventually Blackburn win a throw-in.

A lively start to the second half!

A vital sliding stop from Ben Whiteman to rescue Preston from going a goal down.

Ryan Hedges makes a sensational run and sends a low ball in towards Sammie Szmodics but Whiteman slides in to deny the Blackburn man who surely would have scored.

Ben Brereton Diaz and Ryan hedges have come on for Sorba Thomas and Tyrhys Dolan for Blackburn as we start the second half.

I thought Thomas and Dolan played well before the break, but Rovers boss Jon Dahl Tomasson clearly wants to shake things up.

Image source, Getty Images

In case you've missed all the results from earlier, he's the headlines from today's EFL action:

• QPR picked up a vital win in their bid to avoid relegation from the Championship by beating promoted Burnley. That result means the Clarets are still waiting to clinch the title.
• Fellow strugglers Wigan and Blackpool also both won to keep their own survival hopes alive.
• The top four in League One all won, meaning the top three Plymouth, Ipswich and Sheffield Wednesday remain separated by two points. Plymouth and Ipswich play their games in hand on Tuesday, with the Tractor Boys at fourth-placed Barnsley.
• Leyton Orient are League Two champions after being Crewe, with Stevenage's defeat at Mansfield securing top spot for the O's.
• Rochdale have been relegated to the National League after 102 years in the Football League following a 1-0 defeat at Stockport.

Steve Eyre
Former Rochdale boss on BBC Radio Lancashire

Both teams want to win. I'm looking at the substitutes' bench and wondering if this game can be won from the 70th minutes.

With so much sprinting going on it might be the best bench that wins this.

The first half at Deepdale comes to an end.

Plenty of chances and action. But there's an edginess to this Lancashire derby.

Honours even so far, but for how long?

Tyrhys Dolan is penalised for a free-kick not long after losing the ball in a dangerous area, deep in the Preston half.

North End stand over it, with the free-kick taking place right outside the Blackburn box.

Ben Whiteman takes it and draws a save from Rovers keeper Aynsley Pears.

A bit of a nervy game, this. Which is to be expected for any derby, let alone one where the stakes are quite high with regards to taking a big leap towards the play-offs.

Blackburn have edged the possession and had most of the chances, but it's still pretty even headed into half-time.

Andy Bayes
BBC Radio Lancashire

This game has not been short of incident or good football, but it's still goalless.

Not a horrendous 0-0 by any means.