ROVERS boss Tony Mowbray has warned his players to keep their emotions in check ahead of a Lancashire derby tomorrow lunchtime.

Blackburn face a Preston side just six points off the play-off positions and arriving at Ewood Park on the back of a superb 3-0 win over Reading last weekend.

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Form often disappears when rivals meet, but Mowbray knows his team need the three points just as much as the Lillywhites – and insists cool heads will be key to success.

“They are great games, full of emotion and passion, and the players will be full of adrenaline.” said the Rovers head coach, who is unbeaten in the six games since he took over from Owen Coyle last month.

“If anything you’re not sure which way they are going to go sometimes because the games themselves can lose a bit of shape and discipline.

“Players can just play on emotion and they can go end to end, but hopefully we can find a level of control at the weekend.

“We have to stand up to a team who are very disciplined and organised and work extremely hard and see if we can get the points for our fans.”

North End hold the bragging rights after winning the previous two clashes, the most recent at Deepdale in December when a Callum Jones goal 10 minutes from time wrecked Rovers’ hopes after Danny Graham had twice drawn them level.

And Mowbray is aware Simon Grayson’s side go into the game having had a week off, while Blackburn endured a long and testing trip to Fulham on Tuesday night.

He added: “Preston have obviously got some targets. They are pushing hard for the play-offs.

“They are on the back of a fantastic result against Reading in their last game.

“They haven’t played midweek and I’ve talked previously about the programme of how often we have played.

“So they’ll have had a full week’s preparation, but we need to roll out again and come to the party both physically and technically.

“It’s a good game for us because it’s a home game against a local rivals.

“There should be a decent crowd there and hopefully we can give Rovers fans something to shout about.”

The Rovers head coach clearly cherishes occasions such as this and revealed his own derby history that has taken in the North East powerhouses, Glasgow’s fierce Old Firm rivalry, and the West Midlands.

He said: “My first ever professional game, my league debut, was at St James’ Park for Middlesbrough against (Newcastle’s) Kevin Keegan.

“I scored in my first Old Firm derby at Parkhead (for Celtic) against Rangers – a diving header at the near post.

“My first game as West Bromwich Albion manager was a Black Country derby against Wolverhampton which we won 3-0.

“They are great games to play in, great games to be involved in, full of emotion.”