Ryan Ledson staying positive after Preston North End's 4-2 defeat to Millwall

Zian Flemming put Millwall into the lead inside five minutes at Deepdale before his free kick doubled their advantage after 16 minutes. North End fought back however and had themselves level before the half hour mark thanks to an own goal and a Ched Evans header.

In the second half Preston had multiple chances to take the lead for the first time in the game but instead Millwall’s Dutchman completed his hat-trick, with Charlie Cresswell adding a fourth to truly kill off the game with just under 20 minutes to go.

It could have been four wins in a row for North End and a place in the play-offs over the World Cup break but instead that spot goes to the Lions, with PNE in ninth.

Ledson is not getting too down about the result and is instead optimistic for the future.

He said: “We're disappointed with the result but after the Blackpool game we set ourselves a target for the four games and we've won three out of the four games, so that's nine points.

"I know we're down today but we have to look at the positives. We're joint sixth, are we not?

"I know we would have liked the three points - it wasn't the case. We have to keep our heads up and we're definitely going in the right direction.”

With Ryan Lowe’s men on top in the game, for the middle portion of the 90 minutes, it seemed that only one side would go on to win the game, and instead they ended as 4-2 losers.

But Ledson understands that to be the cut throat and unforgiving nature of the Championship, he knows his side must take full advantage when they’re on top in the game otherwise they can pay the price, as they did at Deepdale.

He said: “At half time we got ourselves back into the game and had done really well. We had two or three golden opportunities to go 3-2 up. If we do that then we go on to maybe win 3-2 or 4-2 but it wasn't the case. The third goal has killed us, it came at a bad time for us.

"We've got to look at the positives, have a break now and go back at it. The back lads have been fantastic but it's one of those days.

"The second goal has hit Ched and gone in, the first one Lindsay slips, there's a flick on, there's loads of things that didn't quite go our way today.

"Down the other end Ched's goes just past the post and if that goes in it's a whole different game. That's the Championship, we've done that to other teams.

"This is what the league is like, it's mad. When you're on top you've got to score. I thought we did brilliantly well to get back into the game but it's just about taking those chances.

“There was another one where Ali McCann has a shot and even if he scuffs that it could go in but he's hit it too cleanly, right at the 'keeper.”