Blackburn Rovers v Preston North End - Peter White's big match preview

THERE are few signs of fear in the Preston North End ranks as they prepare for tonight's Ewood derby. In fact Lee Cartwright thinks - "It should be fun!"

That sums up the delight at Deepdale after they were handed the plum Coca-Cola Cup clash with neighbours Blackburn Rovers.

But North End's assistant manager and player David Moyes might have had a few words of caution with lads like Cartwright to prevent them getting carried away.

Moyes was watching on the night Sheffield Wednesday were put to the sword 7-2 at Ewood and, a couple of weeks later, he was in the PNE reserve side routed 4-0 by Rovers at Deepdale.

On Sunday, he was one of several Preston spies in the stand as Rovers turned on the goal power again but, this time, Leeds showed that Roy Hodgson's side could be vulnerable to counter-attack too.

Cartwright, born in the Rossendale Valley where he still lives, is adamant, however, that Preston have all to gain and nothing to lose against their Premiership hosts.

"We can't really lose whereas Blackburn have everything to lose," said the midfielder who will celebrate his 25th birthday on Friday as North End's longest-serving player.

"They have just been beaten at home and we have been playing really well. It's just our away record that has been letting us down. "We were unlucky not to win on Saturday and I also thought we could have won at Oldham last week."

Cartwright missed out because of a long-term knee injury when Preston distinguished themselves against Spurs in last season's Coca-Cola Cup. So he's doubly eager to shine tonight.

"I'm really looking forward to it, if selected of course," he added.

"It will be a new experience for me, it's exciting for everyone and it should be fun.

"In this kind of tie you have to be in with a chance, it's a one-off.

"And these are the kind of games you look forward to, it's where you want to get to when you start playing football."

Cartwright, with his injury problems hopefully well behind him, admits he didn't really support one particular club as a youngster - "I just took an interest in the local sides," he said.

But he has never played at Ewood before, at any level, and it's the start of a crunch period for him and North End.

"We have Blackburn tonight, then Burnley on Saturday and the return game against Blackburn still to come," he said.

"It promises to be a great couple of weeks."

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