'I bet we've' - What Paul Heckingbottom straight after Preston North End's 1-1 draw with Millwall

Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom was frustrated not to take all three points against Millwall on Tuesday.

Both sides, sitting on 41 points ahead of the match, knew a win at Deepdale would take them level with 11th placed Middlesbrough.

It was the Lions who hit the front on 40 minutes through Mihailo Ivanovic’s fine free-kick, but Emil Riis equalised shortly after the restart with a wonderful half-volley from range.

Post-match, Heckingbottom said: “We were certainly the dominant team but it's a positive point, having gone behind to a team who defend really well. There's some good performances from a lot of the players as well, so I've come away from that positive. We had all the control first half; Emil (Riis’) chance first few minutes... the one they cleared off the line.

“They score one from a free kick and we know the pattern of the game. It's not a free kick that they score from, that's a frustration. Ali (McCann) kicks it away with his left foot We had all the control but for all the ball we had, we lacked penetration. So it was more about risking the ball, being a bit more direct. We put three bodies really in the middle of the pitch; Sam, Emil and Milly there.

“We then did lose a little bit of control of the game but I was relaxed about that. If Millwall had any good possession it meant that when they did lose it or we won it, the game was a little bit more open. Liam (Lindsay) did well against Cooper. They'd changed their shape to play against us where they'd been sort of rotating and putting Crama high and wide on the right, hitting diagonals to him - which would have been against Hughesy today and would’ve been fine.

“So lots of little things... to look after set-plays we made changes and also to deal with Millwall we made changes. We were (the ones pushing). Listen, we did more than enough... more than enough. I bet we've more than doubled their shots. I bet we've probably more than quadrupled their touches in penalty box. It's one of those.

“To go behind, we spoke about being patient, we spoke about remaining composed because the game was exactly as we thought. The fact it wasn't even a foul (for their goal), more frustration and that's the type of thing where you can play into someone's hands when they're set up that way... but we didn't and we stayed composed. We were the more dangerous team throughout, so yeah.”

“He’s scored so many goals for this club.”

On Riis’ equalising strike, he added: “That's probably our hardest chance... where he's hit it from. But we know he's instinctive and he's scored so many goals for this club. When it's just an instinctive strike, whether that's been left foot or right foot, that was exactly the same.

“When I wasn't at this club and you were preparing for Emil, that's one thing you always looked at: his instinctive shots anywhere from 25 yards in. His best chance came in the right channel when he chopped back on his left. I felt he took one touch too many on that one but yeah, pleased for him... pleased he got the goal.”