Preston North End 1-0 Rochdale

Jermaine Beckford, on loan at Preston from Bolton, has scored five goals in his last eight games

Preston moved seven points clear in the automatic promotion places in League One with a home win over Rochdale.

The visitors started brightly at Deepdale and had a goal ruled out for offside after Rhys Bennett headed home Ian Henderson's flick-on.

After Preston winger Callum Robinson shot straight at the goalkeeper when one-on-one, Jermaine Beckford's smart turn and low shot put the hosts ahead.

Henderson wasted a free header six yards out as Dale pressed to level.

Dale full-back Andy Cannon's cross was turned onto the post, while Joe Garner nearly doubled Preston's lead at the other end with a stooping header.

Simon Grayson's North End side are now unbeaten in their last 12 league games and have closed the gap on leaders Bristol City to eight points.

Rochdale remain seventh and are four points off the play-off places, but do have a game in hand on sixth-placed Chesterfield.

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Preston

• 34Johnstone
• 15Woods
• 6Wright
• 5Clarke
• 3Laird
• 12Gallagher
• 19Welsh
• 24Johnson
• 10BeckfordSubstituted forHumphreyat 63'minutes
• 14Garner
• 27RobinsonSubstituted forLittleat 81'minutes

Substitutes

• 4Wiseman
• 7Humphrey
• 8Kilkenny
• 9Davies
• 18Little
• 21Stuckmann
• 22King

Rochdale

• 1Lillis
• 27Cannon
• 5Eastham
• 17Tanser
• 33Kennedy
• 3Bennett
• 25Rose
• 14HérySubstituted forNoble-Lazarusat 64'minutes
• 7VincentiSubstituted forBrandyat 79'minutes
• 40Henderson
• 39BunneySubstituted forAndrewat 70'minutes

Substitutes

• 2Rafferty
• 9Andrew
• 10Brandy
• 11Noble-Lazarus
• 21Musangu
• 28Camps

Referee:

Andy Woolmer

Attendance:

12,288

Match Stats

Home TeamPrestonAway TeamRochdale

Possession

Home53%

Away47%

Shots

Home10

Away3

Shots on Target

Home5

Away1

Corners

Home10

Away2

Fouls

Home8

Away16

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Preston North End 1, Rochdale 0.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+5'

Second Half ends, Preston North End 1, Rochdale 0.

Posted at 90'+3'

Foul by John Welsh (Preston North End).

Posted at 90'+3'

Ian Henderson (Rochdale) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 90'+1'

Scott Laird (Preston North End) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 90'+1'

Foul by Michael Rose (Rochdale).

Posted at 90'

Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Josh Lillis.

Posted at 90'

Attempt saved. Scott Laird (Preston North End) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner.

Posted at 89'

Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Andrew Cannon.

Posted at 86'

Joe Garner (Preston North End) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 86'

Foul by Febian Brandy (Rochdale).

Posted at 84'

Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Scott Tanser.

Substitution

Posted at 81'

Substitution, Preston North End. Andy Little replaces Callum Robinson.

Posted at 81'

Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Ashley Eastham.

Substitution

Posted at 79'

Substitution, Rochdale. Febian Brandy replaces Peter Vincenti.

Posted at 79'

Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Josh Lillis.

Posted at 79'

Attempt saved. Joe Garner (Preston North End) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.

Posted at 77'

Paul Gallagher (Preston North End) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 77'

Foul by Ian Henderson (Rochdale).

Posted at 76'

Daniel Johnson (Preston North End) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 76'

Foul by Peter Vincenti (Rochdale).

Posted at 74'

Hand ball by Andrew Cannon (Rochdale).

Posted at 73'

Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Reuben Noble-Lazarus.

Substitution

Posted at 70'

Substitution, Rochdale. Calvin Andrew replaces Joe Bunney.

Posted at 70'

Attempt blocked. Chris Humphrey (Preston North End) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the right is blocked.

Posted at 69'

Joe Garner (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 69'

Foul by Michael Rose (Rochdale).

Posted at 67'

Attempt missed. Joe Garner (Preston North End) header from the centre of the box is too high following a corner.

Posted at 66'

Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Ashley Eastham.

Substitution

Posted at 64'

Substitution, Rochdale. Reuben Noble-Lazarus replaces Bastien Héry.

Substitution

Posted at 63'

Substitution, Preston North End. Chris Humphrey replaces Jermaine Beckford.

Posted at 62'

John Welsh (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 62'

Foul by Bastien Héry (Rochdale).

Posted at 61'

Attempt saved. Joe Bunney (Rochdale) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

Posted at 60'

Foul by Paul Gallagher (Preston North End).

Posted at 60'

Bastien Héry (Rochdale) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 58'

Attempt missed. Joe Garner (Preston North End) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.

Posted at 58'

Joe Garner (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 58'

Foul by Rhys Bennett (Rochdale).

Posted at 54'

Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Andrew Cannon.

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