BLACKBURN Rovers twice came from behind, but that couldn’t stop them slipping to a 3-2 defeat at Preston North End.

Danny Graham had twice levelled for Rovers, but Callum Robinson’s winner with 10 minutes to play gave Preston the bragging rights in an entertaining encounter.

Rovers were second best in the first-half, but improved after the re-start, and will feel aggrieved to have left with nothing.

Referee Kevin Friend had a big say in proceedings, awarding each side a penalty, as well as turning down an appeal from Corry Evans when he appeared to have been tugged back.

Daniel Johnson converted his penalty to put 2-1 up, having given Preston the lead in the 18th minute, with Graham seeing a spot-kick saved, only to turn in from the rebound.

Graham had levelled with his seventh of the season, finishing off an excellent move, only for Robinson to fire home the winner.

The result leaves Rovers one point above the Championship relegation places after the weekend’s results.

Owen Coyle made one change for the game, with Ben Marshall returning from suspension to take his place at right-back.

Ryan Nyambe dropped out of the matchday squad, as did Danny Guthrie, though there was a return for Anthony Stokes.

The early hustle and bustle created few opportunities, but those that were went the way of the hosts.  Ben Marshall was caught  napping by Callum Robinson after eight minutes, with the winger nicking the ball off the full-back, only to see Jason Steele punch clear his attempted cross to Jordan Hugill.

Hugill was involved in the next chance, as he headed down a long diagonal in to the path of Ben Pearson, whose well hit shot was blocked by Mulgrew.

With the first shot on target in the game, the hosts did take the lead, with Daniel Johnson the scorer.  Another diagonal was played towards Hugill, who held off Lenihan before teeing up the on-rushing Johnson who curled an excellent effort out of the reach of Steele.

Within four minutes however, Rovers were levelled, courtesy of Danny Graham’s sixth of the season.

Rovers won a penalty as Sam Gallagher was felled by goalscorer Johnson after Graham had seen an earlier effort saved.  Chris Maxwell saved Graham’s penalty, and his follow-up, but after Craig Conway saw an effort blocked, Graham was there to turn the ball in from close range.

Rovers were having to deal with plenty of long throws in to their box, and that was how the next Preston effort came about.  After Lenihan headed clear a Baptiste throw, Bailey Wright tried his luck with a dipping volley, but Steele was equal to it, albeit at the second attempt.

There was then a big talking point just after the half hour mark when referee Kevin Friend awarded the hosts a spot-kick.  It had seen as though Steele had pulled off an excellent save to deny a Makienok header, but the referee adjudged Lenihan to have handled, allowing Daniel Johnson the chance to score his second of the game from 12 yards.

Lenihan saw yellow for his involvement in the penalty, and Rovers continued to come under pressure from Preston, who kept pumping the ball forward.

Rovers did threaten late in the half, and enjoyed their best spell in the closing stages of the opening 45 minutes.

Ben Pearson headed a teasing Conway free-kick on the roof of his own net, with Charlie Mulgrew firing wide from the following corner with a difficult chance.

A hopeful ball forward then sent Graham clear, with the striker opting to try and lob a headed attempt over Maxwell, but the backpeddling keeper was able to tip it round the corner.

He was however, grateful to see Mulgrew’s header flash wide of his left-hand post as the defender got on to the end of a Conway set piece.

And on the stroke of half-time, Gallagher was first to a Marshall free-kick, but his header could only find the grateful arms of Maxwell.

A game that had seen two first-half penalty could have seen another four minutes after the re-start.  Charlie Mulgrew sent Corry Evans in behind with a lovely through-ball, and after the midfielder had steadied himself, he went down after what looked a tug on his short.  However, referee Friend was on the spot to wave away those particular appeals.

Rovers certainly showed their attacking intentions by sending Marvin Emnes on with just seven minutes of the second half gone.

His introduction sparked the Rovers fans in to life, with Corry Evans firing well wide after a good spell of pressure.

There was a different feeling to the second half, with the visitors doing most of the early second-half pressing.

The ascendancy continued past the hour mark, where Bailey Wright was forced in to two excellent pieces of defensive work.  The first saw him deny a Conway drive, while a neat ball from Williams looked to have put Graham in, only for the Australian defender to cut across his effort with a terrific block.

The Preston threat continued to come from balls in to the box and set plays, though Rovers were dealing with that particular threat much better after the re-start.

With 20 minutes to play, Rovers got the goal their second half play had deserved.  They moved the ball from right to left, and Derrick Williams fed Graham with a lovely reverse ball, and via a deflection off Tom Clarke, his effort found the back of the net.

The hosts had been quiet until that point, but the goal somewhat spurred them in to life.  Hugill flashed a header well wide, moments after he threatened to restore their lead, only to be denied by an excellent Lenihan block.

There wasn’t much subtlety to Preston’s play, getting the ball forward at every opportunity, but from set plays they did pose a threat.  Baptiste was first to Johnson’s delivery, but Steele was able to watch his effort wide.

However, with 10 minutes to play they restored their lead.  Cunningham cut inside Marshall, before teeing up Robinson, who, on the turn, managed to squeeze an effort inside the post to cue celebratory scenes among the home fans.

Rovers had a good chance to level with five minutes to play, only for Ben Marshall to curl a free-kick inches over the bar from just outside the area after Danny Graham had been fouled.

The visitors pressed hard for an equaliser in the six added minutes, only to leave empty handed.