'At some point - Paul Heckingbottom delivers his verdict after Preston North End draw with West Brom

The post-match feeling was familiar for Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom - after Saturday’s 1-1 draw with West Brom.

The Lilywhites trailed at the break, with Karlan Grant having fired the Baggies ahead after 13 minutes. But, PNE’s performance improved significantly in the second half and they were level ten minutes into it - when a perfectly placed effort was sent into the bottom right corner by Emil Riis.

Preston maintained pressure on the Albion goal, but did then have to produce some big tackles towards the end of the contest, to stop Carlos Corberan’s nicking all three points. At the other end, Ali McCann fired a clear-cut opportunity over in injury time.

“You could maybe replay one of the other interviews we have done of late,” said Heckingbottom, when asked for his post-match thoughts. “90/95 per cent of games since I have been here, I feel we have been the better team and we’ve not gotten over the line often enough. So yeah, but listen, I enjoyed the way we played and loved the way we played. At some point, it will turn. I have said that to the players. Little bits like one cleared off the line and then we clear one off the line for them.

“That seems to be the way it is going at the minute. But, delighted with the performance. We controlled the game first half, but didn’t create enough so it meant they could break. They are a really good team on the counter and without the ball. We still had the best chance of the game, when Josh’s is cleared off the line. For us to come in 0-1 down was really disappointing, but we didn’t have enough bodies the other side of their midfield.

“That was the problem. It was easy for them to deal with. Our three midfielders tended to come towards the ball too often. We gradually got better as the half wore on and committed more bodies forward, but that was the only change really - to bring another body on, to play the other side of their midfield. It helped us out, but once they got confidence from that and the intent was there to play the forward passes - I am not bothered if they give it away.

“Really good goal. That position, Sam (Greenwood) was sort of in there a lot first half, but it was just him and Emil and they could deal with it. Putting Will (Keane) in there as well, they had someone else to deal with. It was a really good pass through the lines - from Sam again - and a really good finish from Emil as well. I was right behind it and when he got it on to his right foot, I knew where he was trying to put it. So yeah, well deserved and we probably deserved more.”