'Top-notch'... Graham Alexander absolutely loved what he saw from his Preston side vs West Brom

Graham Alexander says his side’s mentality and commitment was ‘top-notch’ in the battling draw with West Brom.

Preston North End have earned their first point under Alexander after playing out an entertaining 1-1 draw with West Brom at Deepdale.

North End threw everything into a performance in which they took the game to the promotion-chasing Baggies with some relentless pressing. Andrew Hughes gave the side the lead, but Aune Heggebo levelled four minutes later.

Though both sides had chances and could reasonably claim they deserved to win, Alexander was particularly impressed with how his side imposed themselves on the opposition.

“It's how we want to compete, without a shadow doubt,” Alexander told The Post.

“I thought we didn't take a backward step. They're [WBA] a really good team. They’ve got some top players that can open you up, but they didn't make us go backwards, as into submit and just stand off.

“We gain strength from turning a few balls over, and I think it give the players more confidence to stay on the front foot. There’s a bit of a risk reward element to it where they've got good players and they can cut through you, or we turn a ball over and we can attack them.

“I want us to be a team that sort of... The protagonists that want to go at people that don't take a backward step unless forced, which they did with a couple of moments, but the mentality of the players was absolutely top-notch.”

“We've gone toe-to-toe with a team at the top end of this division. I don't think anyone outside of Preston would have given us a chance today. But we have shown we got a beating heart and we we’re in the fight.”

Alexander saw his team attack just how he wants them to do against West Brom

Speaking after the defeat to Wrexham, Alexander said he saw the ‘pattern’ of how he wants his side to attack in Alfie Devine’s goal, which was started by Preston winning the ball high up the field.

North End did that time and again against WBA, and could have had more goals to their name if the likes of Johnny Kenny, Delano Burgzorg and Jusef Erabi were more clinical in the box.

Yet, Alexander was pleased with how often his side got forward and how much effort they put into the display.

“Their keeper’s made several good saves,” he said. “I think we had really good moments, you know, could have took the lead a few times, but they had opportunities as well.

“So it was it was two teams that were throwing punches at each other. If we're going to go into a fight, that's what we've got to do. I thought the players, how they approached it was absolutely top-notch.

“They have ran their socks off for each other and that's the biggest thing.

“I think it builds up a resilience, builds up a brotherhood. It builds up a team ethic and you saw every player, the subs coming on, disappointed they're not starting because they all have a reason to potentially start today, but they came on and they just give it everything for their teammates.

“That's what a football team is, at its base level. We'll add quality onto it. We'll add patterns of play, this, that and the other.

“But unless we compete at that level, then all the quality in the world don't count.

“So you gotta run. You gotta have an attitude about yourselves. And I thought our team and our club today, as you saw, with the response from the supporters in the game, had the right attitude.”