Neil Harris: Preston North End are as good as we've seen

Cardiff City manager Neil Harris believes that Preston North End are as good as his side have seen this season.
Neil Harris gives out instructions at the Cardiff City Stadium.Neil Harris gives out instructions at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Neil Harris gives out instructions at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Harris' Bluebirds held PNE to a 0-0 draw at the Cardiff City Stadium in the day's early kick off, but the visitors had plenty of opportunities to get more from the game.

The wasn't much in then way of clear cut chances for the Lilywhites, but there certainly were opening that could have been taken advantage of.

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Cardiff on the other hand only managed to register their first shot on target in stoppage time of the second half, Lee Tomlin's lob being tipped over by Declan Rudd.

With PNE sitting third in the league going into the game in the Welsh capital, Harris knew his side couldn't afford to take anything for granted.

He said: "We knew it was going to be a challenge, they're not third in the league for nothing.

"As good as we've seen Brentford, Leeds, (Nottingham) Forest, we knew they were going to be that good.

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"The way we had to play to combat that, I'm pleased with certian elements that we've not shown recently, being able to get around the second balls.

"You can see our transition period from being a team that liked to play really direct to a team that likes to play a little bit more.

"I thought we lacked creativity today, we didn't make chances, nowhere as many as we've made. Where we've made 10 or 12 in recent games, seven or eight of those were really good ones.

"Today we didn't create any of them, credit goes to Preston for that, defensively. I thought the two teams cancelled each other out a lot.

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"I don't think there was a great deal in it. I think you can see a well-oiled ship at Preston that are two years down the line with Alex Neil, who's got them really organised with and without the ball.

"They all know what they're doing, they keep the ball well and then they get the ball forward 60 yards really quickly. They all move in the right direction, they're really smooth with what they do."