Preston North End boss Alex Neil frustrated with just a point against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground

Preston North End manager Alex Neil at the City Ground

Billy Bodin's 40th minute goal put North End in front and they held that advantage until 10 minutes from time when substitute Albert Adomah equalised for Forest.

They could well have had the game wrapped-up by half-time after creating some good chances and in the second half had to weather pressure from the home side without really being troubled.

But a through ball from Joao Carvalho sent Adomah clear to peg them back.

Patrick Bauer in action for PNE at Nottingham Forest

Neil said: "I think it would be fair to suggest we should have won the game.

"In the first half we had four very good chances, their keeper made a couple of good saves and we scored a very good goal.

"We were the dominant side in the first half and I didn't think Forest had an answer for us.

"In the second half we knew they were going to come out and play on top of us more, be more aggressive.

Preston defender Ben Davies challenges Nottingham Forest's Lewis Grabban

"That would have been fine for us if we'd had pace at the top end of the pitch but that wasn't available to us because Tom Barkhuizen and Sean Maguire were missing.

"With that pace not available, we needed to be a bit braver and force the ball through the middle a bit more.

"Naturally when you are winning a game though, you are a bit reluctant to do that.

"In the second half, Forest did the scrappy bits of the game better than us and that is why they had more of the game going towards our goal rather than us the other way."

Neil had a string of injuries to contend with and while frustrated not to have got all three points, he was pleased with what a makeshift line-up gave him.

"If you look at what we had to do today to put a team together, get them prepped and ready to come to a difficult venue and play a good side, I think we have done remarkably well," said Neil.

"To play as well as we did in the first half was impressive.

"We had a right-back playing left-back, a No.10 at right-back, we had a wide left playing centre forward.

"We are frustrated and probably the main frustration is that Forest had one meaningful shot on target and scored.

"To be honest, it looked offside, I've seen the video and it looked like their lad was leaning through the middle.

"We committed through the middle, we should have let the ball stay in front of us."