Blackburn returned to the Championship play-off places as Makhtar Gueye’s header and a Todd Cantwell penalty secured them a 2-1 win over Lancashire rivals Preston at Ewood Park.
Rovers, who had lost each of their last three league matches, took the lead when Gueye sent a diving header past Freddie Woodman in the 39th minute.
And substitute Cantwell then added a second from the spot with 12 minutes of normal time to go after Jack Whatmough was adjudged to have fouled Dom Hyam.
Preston pulled a goal back in stoppage time through Brad Potts but Blackburn were able to see out a win that took John Eustace’s men up from seventh to fifth in the table ahead of the weekend’s action. Paul Heckingbottom’s North End stay 15th as their run of four games unbeaten came to an end.
While Blackburn still had a considerable number of players on the sidelines, captain Lewis Travis was back in starting line-up for first time since December having recovered from a hamstring injury.
And there was another boost for the hosts just prior to kick-off as they announced the signing of Augustus Kargbo from Cesena on a two-and-a-half year deal, with the Sierra Leone forward coming on the pitch to be presented to the crowd.
There was a clear sense of it being a derby as the game got under way, with both sides showing plenty of intensity and some firm challenges being made.
Preston registered the first real attempt in the 15th minute when Emil Riis blazed a half-volley into the stand, and Owen Beck then failed to take a good chance at the other end, firing too high after Andreas Weimann’s flick-on.
Just before that Preston’s Jordan Storey had sustained an injury while making a block, and he subsequently had to come off on the half-hour mark, being replaced by Whatmough.
The visitors then threatened again with Ryan Ledson drilling wide, before the deadlock was broken by Blackburn as former Preston youth player Tyrhys Dolan crossed from the right and Gueye got to the ball ahead of Whatmough to convert.
Rovers might have had another as the interval approached, Ryan Hedges shooting off-target, and further pressure early in the second half saw a Dolan strike and Hyam header go wide.
An opportunity to equalise came Preston skipper Ali McCann’s way in the 55th minute but he could only head over from close range.
Blackburn were then awarded a penalty when Whatmough, going backwards, collided with Hyam as they both went to head the ball.
Heckingbottom looked unamused by referee Josh Smith’s decision as Hyam received treatment, before Cantwell converted from 12 yards in composed fashion.
Moments later Heckingbottom made his last two substitutions, opting not to send on forward Milutin Osmajic, who earlier in the season had served an eight-match ban for biting Beck when the sides drew 0-0 at Deepdale in September.
Fellow forward Ched Evans, one of those who was introduced, then put a shot into the side-netting, and either side Riis struck over and saw a finish ruled out for offside.
Preston continued to push as the clock ticked down and did get a goal back when Potts, another substitute, turned the ball in after chesting it down three minutes into added time.
In a tense conclusion, Preston then appealed for a penalty of their own when Gueye challenged Potts, but Smith was unmoved and Blackburn held out for the win.
