Blackburn Rovers Vs Preston: Ohashi 95th-minute header wins Lancashire derby

blackburn rovers vs preston ended in dramatic fashion when Yuki Ohashi headed home a 95th-minute winner to give Blackburn a 1-0 victory in the Lancashire derby at Ewood Park, a result that extended manager Michael O'Neill's winning start to two games and widened Rovers' gap from the relegation zone to six points.

Blackburn Rovers Vs Preston match reaction

The late header by Ohashi deprived Preston of an opportunity to climb back into the play-off places ahead of the weekend's fixtures. Hecky gives Rovers reaction was one of the immediate storylines after the game, and headlines also highlighted that Michael was excited for his first Ewood encounter.

Michael O'Neill's positive start continues

Michael O'Neill has now won his first two games in charge of Blackburn. His reign continued with the victory that both lifted the team's league position relative to relegation rivals and built momentum at Ewood Park. The match at Ewood was noted as a milestone for Michael's early tenure and was referenced in postmatch coverage focused on his first home encounter.

Implications for relegation and play-offs

The result moved Blackburn six points clear of the relegation zone while Preston lost ground in their pursuit of a top-six finish. The two clubs had previously met in November, with Rovers winning 2-1 at Deepdale; this latest result adds further context to their season-long rivalry and the shifting table dynamics.

Looking ahead, the Championship continues tomorrow with a packed slate of fixtures and questions left open by this late drama: will Preston's rivals for a play-off spot take advantage of their defeat, will Blackburn's buffer be cut by other results, and will the division see its first relegation confirmed in the coming matches? There are another ten games scheduled across the weekend, and the Steel City derby is set to follow as a notable fixture.

• Key takeaways: Yuki Ohashi's 95th-minute goal; Michael O'Neill's second straight win; Blackburn now six points clear of relegation danger.

blackburn rovers vs preston will be remembered for the stoppage-time finish and for reinforcing the immediate positive impact of the managerial change at Blackburn, with both clubs left to consider how the remainder of the weekend's fixtures will affect their respective targets.