Millwall's gameplan a sign of respect according to Preston skipper Huntington

Neil Harris’ Lions were solid and direct as they frustrated the Lilywhites in a largely uneventful 0-0 draw on Saturday.

ALSO READ: Preston North End 0-0 Millwall - Five things we learnedIt meant that Alex Neil’s men came up short in a bid for a third straight Championship win but an impressive start means it’s six unbeaten and fourth in the early table.

“They didn’t play a lot of football,” stand-in skipper Huntington said.

“It was stop-start, they tried to run the clock down.

“It was a bit like Barnsley. It shows we’re doing something right..

“Teams have come here recently, especially in the second half, not to get beaten rather than actually trying to win the game.

“If we’d have got the first goal with the couple of chances we created then it would have been a different game.

“A defensive set-up has to come out rather than putting men behind the ball.”

Opportunities were few and far between but the best fell to Sean Maguire, who hit the side netting in the first half, and Josh Harrop who after the break was unable to convert Tom Barkhuizen’s cross from close range.

“I think we’ve had the two best chances of the game,” Huntington said.

“Josh Harrop with the tap in at the back post and in the first half Sean Maguire’s hit the side netting when if he squares it that’s a tap in.

“I don’t really think they’ve created much.

“They just make it ugly with long balls and trying to pick up second balls.

“It’s not pretty and as a defender I’m happy with the clean sheet but we’re disappointed we haven’t won the game.

“The manager’s pointed out that it shows that we’ve come quite a long way.

“We’re disappointed drawing 0-0 at home but we’re still fourth so we’ve got to take the positives.”

The game at times was dominated by the whistle of referee Darren Bond.

While plenty of niggly fouls were picked up on, not aiding the flow of a scrappy game, Huntington felt some time wasting went unpunished.

“They were quite happy with it I think,” said the central defender.

“The ref told me he’s added on another minute and a half to the five at the end but it should have been eight or nine.

“I felt a little bit hard done by. The feeling in the changing room was disappointment.

“We knew how they were going to play and stood up to their physical style and while our attacking play can be better I think the effort was there, just the quality was the difference.”

ALSO READ: Preston North End 0-0 Millwall - Five things we learned