Preston North End fans influenced penalty decision according to Hull City's Grant McCann

Darnell Fisher surged into the box to win a penalty, which Paul Gallagher converted, to level the game.

Mallik Wilks had but the visitors in the lead just before half time, heading home from a Callum Elder cross.

North End thought they should have had a penalty just prior to the foul on Fisher, Alan Browne going down in the area.

McCann felt that the previous claims, and it happening in front of PNE fans in the Alan Kelly Town End impacted referee Steve Martin's decision.

"For large periods, it was a good away performance. It was probably the best we’d been for a while in terms of overall performance," he said.

"Preston ramped it up a little bit, made a couple of substitutions and injected a bit of energy into their team.

"The first goal is shocking really. It’s a mistake from the referee. Fisher’s gone down very, very easily, if you watch it back. He’s actually falling before Magennis touches him. So that’s a shame.

"We knew leading into this game, Preston have the most penalties in the league and they all seem to happen at this end (Town End).

"I think he’s got sucked into the first one that wasn’t a penalty, the crowd’s got on it and the next one, any sort of contact and he’s going to give it.

"If that’s a penalty then every time someone gets touched in the box is going to be a penalty. Frustrated with that.

"That was the influence, the crowd shouting for the first one. The second one is just very, very soft.

"With the position the referee is in, I’m surprised he’s given it. The first one has affected him."

Browne got the winner for Preston, getting onto the end of a Jayden Stockley cross.

Though it was well worked, with a lovely cross from PNE's target man, McCann was not happy with how his side dealt with it.

He said: "The second goal is not good enough for us. We poke at half time about the balls that come into our box and the distances from the back four and people staying with their runners.

"That’s avoidable. We should have avoided that.

"It’s a good goal from Preston, they’ll say it’s a good goal. It’s a good cross, it’s a good header, for us, we should have defended that."

Hull forward Tom Eaves was stretchered off during the game, going down under a challenge from Ben Davies, with play going on; a decision which confused the Tigers' boss.

"Shocking tackle, watch it back," he started.

"Tom’s down there in agony, he’s in a boot.

"He’s come right in behind him, right on his ankle, off the floor, no booking. No free kick.

"You’re just left scratching your head really. It looks serious, he’ll get a scan over the weekend."