Ohashi Seals Late Blackburn Win As O'Neill Begins Championship Reign Against Preston

Yuki Ohashi’s stoppage-time header earned Blackburn Rovers a 1-0 victory over Preston North End, lifting Blackburn’s Championship survival chances and denying Preston a move into the play-off positions. The 95th-minute winner at Ewood Park also extended Michael O’Neill’s perfect start, as Blackburn collected back-to-back league wins for the first time since early November.

This narrow success moved Blackburn six points clear of the Championship relegation places, underlining the importance of the late goal. Preston, managed by Paul Heckingbottom, missed a chance to climb into sixth despite enjoying more of the ball across the match and spending long periods in Blackburn’s half.

Match statistics reflected Blackburn’s greater threat, even with Preston controlling possession. Blackburn produced 13 attempts, generating 1.06 expected goals, while Preston managed only three shots. David Cornell faced the busier evening in Preston’s goal, especially late on, whereas Balazs Toth endured occasional anxious moments from set-pieces rather than sustained pressure from open play.

The decisive moment arrived deep into added time, when Blackburn finally broke Preston’s resistance. Eiran Cashin delivered a looping cross from the left, and Ohashi drifted away from the marker before powering a header beyond the wrong-footed Cornell. Ewood Park erupted as Blackburn secured all three points in O’Neill’s first home match in charge.

Earlier, both sides struggled to create clear openings after half-time, despite sustained effort. Toth endured another scare just after the hour, when Alfie Devine’s inswinging free-kick from the left evaded everyone and clipped the far post. As Blackburn increased the tempo late on, Mathias Jorgensen and Ohashi each drew smart saves from Cornell before the decisive goal finally arrived.

The contest had started with Preston on the front foot and the windy conditions affecting both teams. Within two minutes, Devine’s corner, held up by the strong wind, almost dropped straight in and bounced off the crossbar, catching Blackburn’s defence off guard. Shortly after, Lewis Dobbin forced a low stop from Toth, before Blackburn responded and pushed higher up the pitch.

Blackburn’s first-half pressure, however, lacked accuracy in front of goal. Ryoya Morishita blazed over from a promising opening, and several promising attacks broke down before testing Cornell. Despite that, O’Neill’s team stayed organised defensively, restricting Preston’s opportunities and laying the platform for the intense late push that followed the interval.

The result means O’Neill now has two wins from two matches since taking charge for the remainder of the season. Blackburn’s sequence of successive Championship victories, their first since early November, strengthens their position in the relegation battle, while Preston must recover quickly after missing a clear opportunity to enter the play-off spots.