Josh Onomah picked up a brace and Liam Delap also found the net as Preston Reserves beat Blackpool Reserves 3-0 in the Central League.
Ryan Lowe chose this game to give a number of first team squad members some valuable game time, having previously held back in the Central League, with youngsters making up the team so far this season.
However on Wednesday, Dai Cornell, Patrick Bauer, Robbie Brady, and Ben Woodburn joined Onomah and Delap in the team. For Onomah it was a chance to get some much needed minutes under the belt, having played just 32 minutes since his arrival in January. The former Fulham midfielder only has a contract until the end of the season so has a limited amount of time to impress Ryan Lowe if he is in search of a longer deal.
For Liam Delap, a striker highly rated by Manchester City, he will have been surprised if you said at the start of the year, that he’d be playing in Preston’s reserves. However other strikers have been given the nod over him in recent weeks, so it was a rare chance for him.
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Delap joined at the same time as Tom Cannon, and whilst Cannon started nine games in a row and scored a goal against Wigan Athletic, Delap has had to settle for just four starts.
Onomah was quick to take his chance, opening up his account after just six minutes. His goal was described as a precise, controlled but powerful first-time effort from 18 yards on Lancs Live.
Playing in a number 8 role, before switching to a deeper position in the second half, Onomah managed 71 minutes. in the game at the Sir Tom Finney Stadium in Bamber Bridge. Before he departed he managed another goal after a neat one-two with Finlay Cross-Adair.
Whilst the two goals are nice for the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, the minutes will be of more importance. Lowe will be well aware of his talent, and showing that in a reserves match doesn’t prove too much. However it should allow him the chance to feature more for the first-team now.
His goals came either side of one from Liam Delap who had already hit the post early on in the game. The striker had already grabbed the assist for Onomah’s first before he was on hand to poke the ball home after Blackpool failed to clear a corner.
Delap played 79 minutes and was then replaced by Kitt Nelson. All first-team players will have been glad to have had this game in midweek, and with Ryan Lowe in attendance they will hope they have impressed the manager enough to stand a chance of featuring in some upcoming games.
Preston host Cardiff City at Deepdale on Saturday, before back-to-back away games at Rotherham United and Middlesbrough the week after.