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Rovers went ahead in the 39th minute courtesy of a powerful header from Makhtar Gueye, who beat Jack Whatmough to a super cross from Tyrhys Dolan.

But it was the nature of Blackburn's second goal, a penalty, that sparked fury for the visitors and their travelling fans, and Whatmough was again at the centre of the incident.

With 16 minutes left of normal time, Todd Cantwell sent in a corner which Dominic Hyam rose to meet, but he was caught by Whatmough, who was running backwards and also jumping to challenge for the ball.

While the collision left Hyam with a split chin, replays suggested that Whatmough was jumping in a fair and even contest, but referee Josh Smith saw it differently and pointed to the spot.

Cantwell stepped up to fire home from 12 yards and double Blackburn's lead, but the moment galvanised Preston.

It took full control of the contest from that point on, and thought it had halved the deficit when Emil Riis poked home in the 89th minute after a corner routine, but the flag went up as he was caught offside inside the six-yard box.

Preston did find a goal in the third of six added minutes when Brad Potts brought the ball down on his chest and toe-poked into the net from a tight angle to set up a grandstand finish.

In the last of the six added minutes, Potts again rose for a long ball into the box with Gueye, whom appeared to foul his opponent and also handle the ball, but referee Smith waved play on.

With time up, Preston then forced a corner, but was once again left furious with Smith as he blew for full-time before it could be taken, leaving North End boss Paul Heckingbottom fuming on the touchline.

The result leaves Preston in the 15th on the table, while for Blackburn, the three points moved it up to fifth spot and inside the promotion play-off places ahead of the rest of the weekend's fixtures.

"Everyone's seen it, not just me. It's horrible when things like that decide the game," Heckingbottom said after the match.

"Josh Smith and [fourth official] Jeremy Simpson know that and that's why they couldn't wait to get off the pitch. 

"It's one of those moments where they've got it wrong and realised. But there's nothing I can do about the referees."

On Blackburn's contentious penalty, boss John Eustace was in no doubt about his verdict.

"I think it was a blatant penalty. I've watched it back and the boy has headed him under the neck and nearly knocked him out. I thought it was a penalty for sure," he said. 

Blackburn, which posted its second win in 10 matches, will next face Queens Park Rangers on Wednesday (AEDT), while Preston will welcome Wycombe Wanderers in the FA Cup fourth round on 9 February (AEDT).