Preston beat Blackburn in Friday night’s Lancashire derby
ALEX Neil hailed Greg Cunningham after the defender’s stunning goal set Preston on their way to a derby win at Blackburn.
The Lilywhites won for the third time in five visits to Ewood Park courtesy of a sumptuous strike from former Rovers loanee Cunningham, with Liam Lindsay’s first goal in Preston colours sealing the three points.
Adam Armstrong’s nerveless penalty on the stroke of half-time gave Rovers hope, but Preston deservedly saw the game out to win their third away game in five outings.
And Neil was delighted with Cardiff loan man Cunningham’s contribution.
“I thought the way we went about it was very good,” Neil said.
“Greg is technically very good. He’s good with the ball, he can see a pass inside, can lift the ball into space, he’s good at finishing. I wasn’t overly surprised, but it was a great strike.
“In the second half we defended well, had two great chances to finish the game off.
“We certainly had enough of the match to win it. I thought the way we carried out our shape, the way we defended, we deserved to win it. We merited the three points.”
Alan Browne returned from injury for Preston, who gave a first start to Cunningham since he re-signed for the club.
Those two players combined to put the visitors ahead after 19 minutes. Browne sprayed a wonderful cross-field ball to fellow wing-back Cunningham, whose first touch set him up perfectly to slam his shot into the right corner from 20 yards out.
Preston deservedly doubled their advantage two minutes before the break when Ryan Ledson’s pinpoint corner was met by Lindsay, who nodded in his first goal for the club.
But that advantage was surrendered almost immediately when a clumsy challenge on Sam Gallagher by Andrew Hughes resulted in a penalty that Armstrong clinically dispatched in injury time.
They were almost level before the half was out when Barry Douglas swung in a cross that Armstrong directed goalwards, but Daniel Iversen made a remarkable save, getting down at his near post to claw the ball out when it was almost past him.
Preston should have restored their two-goal advantage after the break when they capitalised on a defensive mix-up that gave Tom Barkhuizen a clear sight of goal, but his effort drifted just beyond the far post.
At the other end, Bradley Dack planted a free header on to the roof of the net, before Armstrong diverted a Douglas cross over the bar.
The damage, though, had already been done, with Rovers boss Tony Mowbray furious at his side’s first-half display.
“I can’t accept watching and being the manager of a team that plays like they did in the first half,” he said.
“It’s not on, it’s not what we’re about and we don’t play like that.
“The team know the expectations of this club, the expectations of the manager. They have to go all out for it and they didn’t tonight, for long spells.”