Preston boss Alex Neil: We did enough to beat Middlesbrough

North End controlled large parts of the game at the Riverside Stadium but couldn’t find a way through.

Tom Barkhuizen hit the post in the first-half and Darren Randolph made a couple of a good saves as the Lilywhites completed a good first month of the season ahead of the international break.

“If any team deserved to win I thought it was us,” Neil said.

“I thought we had the best chances in the game.

“I thought we had more possession. We created more opportunities.

“The only disappointment is that we didn’t get that goal I thought we deserved.

“I thought it was a good match between two good teams and coming to a team like Middlesbrough who are really fancied for the league I thought our boys equipped themselves really well.

“We had enough in the game to win it. I don’t think there’s any questions about that.

“We came here, we frustrated Middlesbrough but we had more possession.

“We came here to try and win."

Ben Pearson limped off with 20 minutes to go but Neil was confident his midfielder would be okay.

Having started the game with a tight thigh Pearson picked up a dead leg when fouled by Adam Clayton in the second half.

Boro boss Garry Monk said: "It’s not the performance we wanted.

"We’re trying to set a high standard and whenever you fall below that you’re disappointed.

"Overall, we didn’t do the basics well enough. Preston came out on top of us in terms of headers, tackles and with their passing.

"It was a level above us and then you can’t control the game."