Blackburn Rovers Vs Preston: Late stoppage header flips momentum and lifts Blackburn clear of danger

In a result that shifts the Championship dynamics, Blackburn Rovers Vs Preston delivered a stoppage-time winner that immediately changed both sides' trajectories. Yuki Ohashi's 95th-minute header gave Blackburn a 1-0 victory at Ewood Park, handed Michael O'Neill a second successive win in charge, and moved Blackburn six points clear of the relegation zone — while denying Preston a chance to push toward the play-off positions.

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Here's the part that matters: the result is less about a single dramatic finish and more about momentum. Blackburn secured back-to-back wins for the first time since November and improved their standing enough to create breathing room from relegation trouble. Preston, by contrast, saw a three-game unbeaten run end and missed an opportunity to climb toward the play-offs, leaving their recent progress paused rather than accelerated.

• Blackburn claimed a 1-0 derby win thanks to a late headed goal by Yuki Ohashi in stoppage time.
• Michael O'Neill has now won his first two games in charge, with this match his first home victory.
• The success moved Blackburn six points clear of the relegation zone.
• Preston's run of three unbeaten matches was halted; they had a chance to move into the play-off places but did not convert it.
• These results create short-term momentum for Blackburn and a reset point for Preston's attacking output.

How the decisive moments unfolded and what changed on the pitch

The match settled into a tense, low-scoring derby where late drama proved decisive. Play continued into added time after a stoppage for treatment to the Preston goalkeeper; five minutes were added on overall. The match paused elsewhere when Blackburn defender Eiran Cashin received a booking for a rash challenge, and there were penalty appeals earlier after a clash in the Preston box. Despite periods of Preston control and set-play pressure, neither side produced a decisive opening until the final sequence.

In the fifth minute of that added time, Blackburn swung a left-wing cross to the far post where Yuki Ohashi delivered a header that found the net. The strike sealed a 1-0 win and delivered a dramatic close to a derby that had been marked by close calls — including Preston efforts that rattled woodwork and threatening set-piece moments that failed to yield a goal.

Preston's manager expressed clear frustration after the game, arguing his side had done enough to take at least a point and lamenting a lack of cutting attacking moments despite territorial control. Blackburn, meanwhile, will take encouragement that a substitute injected decisive impetus in the final third and that the team has now produced consecutive wins under new leadership.

What's easy to miss is how single moments like a late header can reframe a season's psychology: a two-game winning run and a six-point cushion change club messaging, recruitment priorities and short-term confidence in ways a midweek result rarely does.

Key signals to watch for confirmation this result is a turning point include whether Blackburn can sustain momentum in their next fixtures and whether Preston can convert territory into clear chances and maintain defensive stability to restart their climb.

Micro timeline (events verified in the match):

• Match included a stoppage while the Preston goalkeeper received treatment; five minutes of added time were played.
• Eiran Cashin received a yellow card for a rash challenge during the added period.
• Yuki Ohashi scored the match's only goal with a stoppage-time header to complete a 1-0 Blackburn win.

The real question now is whether this result is a springboard for Blackburn's survival push or a solitary high point before the fixture list tests their consistency. For Preston, the immediate task is converting promising control into end-product so narrow margins stop deciding their progression.

Editor’s note: the match details above reflect the in-game events and post-match reactions available from coverage; further developments may evolve as both clubs move forward.