The first Lancashire derby at Bloomfield Road between Blackpool and Preston for almost eight years ended goalless in the Championship's early kick-off.

Blackpool, unbeaten at home since mid-December, created the better chances. The best of them saw Gary Taylor-Fletcher's 20-yard shot tipped round the post by Andy Lonergan just after the half-hour mark.

That was as close as either side came to breaking the deadlock in a game short on clear-cut opportunities as, just like the last meeting between at this ground in April 2000, there were no goals.

Blackpool boss Simon Grayson made two changes following the midweek defeat to QPR.

One was enforced, after Keith Southern limped off at Loftus Road with a hamstring strain - so Claus Jorgensen stepped in.

The other change was tactical, Ben Burgess recalled at the expense of Andy Morrell.

Alan Irvine named an unchanged Preston side for the third consecutive game.

Preston fashioned the first opportunity, but Darren Carter's goalbound effort was blocked by Billy Jones in the seventh minute.

Youl Mawene was booked for a foul on Burgess midway through the first half.

That was the first of four yellow cards before the break as the Frenchman's team-mates Paul McKenna and Jones and Blackpool's Ian Evatt also found their names in referee Lee Probert's book.

Stephen Crainey fired the resulting free-kick over the bar following Mawene's misdemeanour.

That was the first of a clutch of chances for the hosts as Wes Hoolahan flashed a shot narrowly wide, after cutting in from the left wing - and Stephen McPhee then headed Jorgensen's cross straight at Lonergan.

The Preston goalkeeper thwarted Taylor-Fletcher, before Michael Flynn's 25-yard free-kick whistled past the post.

Irvine replaced Tamas Priskin with Neil Mellor early in the second half, and the introduction of the former Liverpool forward coincided with a more positive approach from Preston.

Miller's link-up play brought more of North End's midfielders into the game, and Jones saw his effort blocked by Flynn.

But Blackpool continued to dominate, and Flynn shot straight at Lonergan on the hour - before McPhee volleyed just wide from the edge of the area a minute later. Lonergan held another effort from McPhee midway through the second half.

In a rare foray forward, Preston felt they should have been awarded a penalty when Chris Sedgwick fell to ground under a challenge from Shaun Barker.

Sedgwick then went close with a volley from the right-hand side of the area, before providing the cross that saw Mellor's 12-yard shot blocked by Crainey.

The draw was Blackpool's 10th at home in the league this season - more than any other Football League club.

Teams:

Blackpool Rachubka, Barker, Gorkss, Evatt, Crainey, Taylor-Fletcher (Parker 75), Jorgensen, Flynn, Hoolahan, McPhee (Morrell 84), Burgess.

Subs Not Used: Coid, Fox, Welsh.

Booked: Evatt.

Preston Lonergan, Jones, Mawene, St. Ledger, Davidson, Sedgwick, McKenna, Carter, Whaley, Brown, Priskin (Mellor 54).

Subs Not Used: Chris Neal, Lewis Neal, Hill, Trotman.

Booked: Mawene, McKenna, Jones.

Att: 9,629

Ref: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).