Skipper Paul Gallagher is left frustrated by the manner of Brentford defeat

The midfielder admitted PNE’s performance had not been good enough in the 3-0 defeat at Griffin Park.

After a decent enough start from North End, the Bees started to get on top as the first half wore on and took the lead in the fifth minute of stoppage-time through Ezrio Konsa.

Neal Maupay and Marcus Forss netted in the second half as PNE found the going tough in West London.

Gallagher said: “It was all very frustrating, going into the game we knew it would be really difficult because Brentford play a brand of football which is good on the eye.

“It was stop-start to begin with when their lad went down injured.

“When play resumed we did okay for a while, we tried to play on top of Brentford and the first goal was always going to be massive.

“It was disappointing that we gave it away when we did in stoppage-time at the end of the first half.

“Overall, it was not good enough from us, we wanted to finish in a positive manner and with a positive result but it wasn’t to be.

“We’ve not had the best of records at Brentford, we got a draw last season but that’s about as good as it got.

“They are strong at home, they haven’t lost many games here.”

Gallagher admitted that injuries and suspensions had ended-up proving so costly in Preston’s season.

He pointed out that their best form had come in spells when there was consistency in selection.

Said Gallagher: “It’s been well documented that we’ve had a lot of players injured and suspended.

“They’ve been key players in the squad, sometimes we have been without four, five or six of them at once.

“Any club in that position would find it difficult.

“If we can deal with those issues, I think we can look forward to next season with optimism.

“This season we showed that when we had a strong team available for a number of games on the bounce, we went on good runs.

“We went 12 unbeaten and before that lost one in 13 or whatever it was.

“So we have got that in our locker but we need to keep players available.

“We’ve got to tighten up on our discipline, we know that.

“Before the international break in March, we were within touching distance of the play-offs – we were only outside of the top six on goal difference.

“So to be finishing where we are is frustrating and we want to do better.

“All of us here want to take Preston as high as possible.

“The club has never been in the Premier League and we want to get there because everyone else in the North West seems to have had a go at it.

“I would love to help the club get to the Premier League and that will be the aim again next season.

“I’m looking forward to having a rest and coming back to have a go again.

“We know where we can improve.”