Nil-nil was a fair reflection of a disappointing Lancashire derby, played at Bloomfield Road in biting conditions on the Fylde coast.

Both sides offered effort aplenty, but neither could break the deadlock as the game took on a scrappy look throughout. The hosts will feel they deserved to win based on first half efforts, but the visitors will point to their second half improvement as being worthy of the performance.

An unchanged Preston side opted to spend the first half kicking towards the peculiar empty end of Bloomfield Road currently being used as a makeshift car park, with those not fortunate enough to get a ticket opting to watch the game from on top of the perimeter fencing at the far end of the demolition site.

From there, they and the other 10,000 or so packed into the three sided ground witnessed a frantic and scrappy opening to the game, which was possibly down to a combination of nerves and a swirling breeze. However, as soon as quality started to take hold it was Preston that looked the more composed side.

Darren Carter was the first to trouble either keeper, his eighth minute left footed rasper from the corner of the goal flashing just wide of the post after taking the slightest of deflections en route.

At the other end, Andy Lonergan had to advance bravely to deny Ben Burgess after he had beaten the central defenders with his own chip over the top - PNE's keeper making a commanding punch as the tall striker looked set to fire at goal.

That was just what Claus Jorgensen also set about doing just moments later, drawing a loud 'ooh' from the home fans with a long distance strike that wasn't far away from sneaking inside the far post, while Gary Taylor-Fletcher provided a menace that was firstly denied by a crucial tackle by Youl Mawene as he prepared to pull the trigger, and then courtesy of his own inaccuracy as he headed Stephen Crainey's return cross high over the bar.

Chris Sedgwick tested the palms of Paul Rachubka's gloves with a curling left footed shot from just outside the area after McKenna had won possession back for PNE, but the home side started to make more of the running as the half progressed.

The previously impeccable Mawene found his way into the referee's notebook for bundling into the back of Ben Burgess after neither he nor St Ledger had been able to deal with a looping ball forward that held up in the wind after beating the offside trap It could have proven costly, but thankfully Crainey curled the ball just over the top.

Burgess then wasted a glorious chance to head Blackpool into the lead from close range after the wind made it difficult for Lonergan to collect, and then Hoolahan's cross-cum-shot benefited from excess swirl and nearly found its way into the top corner.

Lonergan produced another of his top draw saves to keep out Taylor-Fletcher's long range shot from an angled position, and the same man was then a victim of a clumsy challenge in midfield from captain McKenna, which earned the offender a booking.

Michael Flynn was the next man to flash a shot wide of goal, but Preston broke from that to create pressure from one of their sporadic attacks. Priskin led Evatt on a merry dance, forcing a foul from the centre half on the very edge of the box, but Carter unfortunately couldn't take advantage as his well-hit curling shot landed kindly for Rachubka to collect.

A few niggling fouls aside, that was pretty much that for the first period, with North End perhaps fortunate to have got to the break with the original scoreline intact.

Neil Mellor made an early arrival during the second half, replacing the quiet figure of Tamas Priskin, and immediately Preston stepped up the volume of pressure on the home goal - albeit without creating anything particularly clear-cut.

Flynn produced a less than troublesome strike from the edge of the PNE penalty area as the hosts made an increasingly rare break, but the game was lacking as a spectacle for the first 20 minutes of the second period.

McPhee tested Lonergan on the stretch, while at the other end Preston were harshly penalised for a supposed infringement on keeper Rachubka as Mawene looked to get on the end of Davidson's long free-kick.

Mellor kept asking questions of the home defence, but the game was too fractious for any level of quality to be maintained.

Davidson's left wing cross fed Brown in a similar position to his winning strike at Charlton, but this time he couldn't find the mesmerising turn, so instead flicked it on for Sedgwick. Sadly, the winger wasted a good opportunity by firing high over the top despite having teed himself up on the half volley.

Sedgwick looked to make amends by playing in Mellor for a chance with 12 minutes remaining, but one of North End's best opportunities failed to yield a goal as Evatt produced a useful block to put it behind for a corner. From the resulting move, Carter's delivery found its way to Sedgwick, but his penalty shout was waved away as he had his ankle clipped by Shaun Barker.

The lively Keigan Parker proved a useful outlet off the home bench for the final 15 minutes, but it was the man on the opposite wing, Hoolahan, that looked more likely to score with a powerful strike over the top.

Brown tested Rachubka from the end of the area as Preston looked the more likely winners in the final stages, but in truth the final scoreline was a fair reflection of the overall procedings as referee Lee Probert put the whistle to his lips to end the game.

PNE: Lonergan, Jones, Mawene, St Ledger, Davidson, Sedgwick, McKenna, Carter, Whaley, Brown, Priskin (sub Mellor 54). Subs not used: Chris Neal, Lewis Neal, Hill, Trotman.

Blackpool: Rachubka, Crainey, Evatt, McGhee (sub Morrell 84), Hoolahan, Taylor-Fletcher (sub Parker 75), Jorgensen, Gorkss, Barker, Burgess, Flynn. Subs not used: Coid, Fox, Welsh.

Booked: Mawene (28), McKenna (35), Jones (42); Evatt (39)

Referee: Lee Probert

Attendance: 9,629 (1,747 away)