Blackpool beat Preston North End 4-2 on Saturday and Neil Mellor thinks Greg Cunningham’s injury changed the game.
PNE headed to Bloomfield Road looking to avenge last season’s 2-0 defeat to the Tangerines.
Almost a year to the day since that loss, North End came unstuck once again.
Jerry Yates headed the hosts in front before Ben Whiteman hauled PNE level from the penalty spot.
North End appeared to have control of the game but two moments appeared to severely dent Ryan Lowe’s men.
Firstly, Greg Cunningham was substituted for Bambo Diaby due to injury.
Then, Charlie Patino smashed a superb strike past Freddie Woodman and North End appeared to lose the plot a little.
Yates headed in number three and whilst a Callum Connolly own goal gave PNE hope, CJ Hamilton finished it off with Woodman up the pitch chasing an equaliser.
Losing Cunningham and then going behind to a bolt from the blue seemed to rock North End.
Cunningham may not be the athlete he once was but his composure on the ball helped PNE on the ball and he was calm in defence.
Diaby couldn’t quite replicate that and he ultimately lost Yates for the third Blackpool goal.
Former PNE striker and current pundit Neil Mellor has now had his say on North End’s issues on the seaside.
Mellor, who knows a thing or two about derbies against Blackpool having scored against them at Bloomfield Road in 2008, believes Cunningham’s injury was the turning point.
Mellor took to Twitter to claim that North End were ‘comfortable’ and ‘the better side’ before Cunningham went off, noting that PNE’s defensive balance was completely altered and Blackpool took immediate advantage.