Match ends, Preston North End 1, Rochdale 0.
Preston North End 1-0 Rochdale
- From the section Football

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
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
- Possession
- Home53%
- Away47%
- Shots
- Home10
- Away3
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away1
- Corners
- Home10
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away16
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Preston North End 1, Rochdale 0.
Foul by John Welsh (Preston North End).
Ian Henderson (Rochdale) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Scott Laird (Preston North End) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Michael Rose (Rochdale).
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Josh Lillis.
Attempt saved. Scott Laird (Preston North End) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner.
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Andrew Cannon.
Joe Garner (Preston North End) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Febian Brandy (Rochdale).
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Scott Tanser.
Substitution
Substitution, Preston North End. Andy Little replaces Callum Robinson.
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Ashley Eastham.
Substitution
Substitution, Rochdale. Febian Brandy replaces Peter Vincenti.
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Josh Lillis.
Attempt saved. Joe Garner (Preston North End) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Paul Gallagher (Preston North End) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Ian Henderson (Rochdale).
Daniel Johnson (Preston North End) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Peter Vincenti (Rochdale).
Hand ball by Andrew Cannon (Rochdale).
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Reuben Noble-Lazarus.
Substitution
Substitution, Rochdale. Calvin Andrew replaces Joe Bunney.
Attempt blocked. Chris Humphrey (Preston North End) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the right is blocked.
Joe Garner (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Michael Rose (Rochdale).
Attempt missed. Joe Garner (Preston North End) header from the centre of the box is too high following a corner.
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Ashley Eastham.
Substitution
Substitution, Rochdale. Reuben Noble-Lazarus replaces Bastien Héry.
Substitution
Substitution, Preston North End. Chris Humphrey replaces Jermaine Beckford.
John Welsh (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Bastien Héry (Rochdale).
Attempt saved. Joe Bunney (Rochdale) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Foul by Paul Gallagher (Preston North End).
Bastien Héry (Rochdale) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Joe Garner (Preston North End) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Joe Garner (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Rhys Bennett (Rochdale).
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Andrew Cannon.