Manager Simon Grayson spoke to PNE PlayerHD after his side were frustrated by Burton Albion in a 1-1 draw at Deepdale.
The Lilywhites started slowly, with Jackson Irvine giving the visitors a first half lead, but Callum Robinson equalised on the stroke of half-time.
An improved second half display from the home side saw chances come and go, but Nigel Clough’s Brewers held on to take a point back to the Pirelli Stadium.
“I am frustrated in different ways,” the manager told the online TV channel after the game. “Frustrated that we have only drawn the game; frustrated for how we played for the first half hour, so to have only have taken a point from the game is disappointing, because we wanted to win the game.
“The opposition made it difficult for us. There are no freebies in this division, you have to work for every point, but as I have said, I am most frustrated with the way we played in the first 30 minutes where we were fortunate to still be in the game, given how well they started and how poorly we were, with and without the ball.
“We got the break of being back in it just before half-time and we looked a proper team in the second half, just how we have been over the last few weeks.”
North End can perhaps think they are the victims of their own success of late, with teams now coming and playing deep and asking PNE to break them down, but the gaffer says they must learn to deal with that.
“Oppositions are doing everything they can to go and win a game,” he continued. “We don’t expect them to give us a free hit and say ‘there’s three points for you’.
“Nigel changed his team today, whether that is for his own benefit or to combat us I don’t know, but we have to make sure we try and do the right thing, because no matter who we are playing or what system we are playing against, we have to make sure we stop the opposition, we play with the tempo with the ball, we pass it quicker that we did today and if we do that, then ultimately you have a chance of winning it.
“In the second half we did all those things, without having that little bit of quality to break them down, or having the lucky breaks of the ball bouncing around to win it.”
You can watch more from the manager, plus see an interview with Jordan Hugill by clicking here and logging into PNE PlayerHD now.
An improved second half display from the home side saw chances come and go, but Nigel Clough’s Brewers held on to take a point back to the Pirelli Stadium.
“I am frustrated in different ways,” the manager told the online TV channel after the game. “Frustrated that we have only drawn the game; frustrated for how we played for the first half hour, so to have only have taken a point from the game is disappointing, because we wanted to win the game.
“The opposition made it difficult for us. There are no freebies in this division, you have to work for every point, but as I have said, I am most frustrated with the way we played in the first 30 minutes where we were fortunate to still be in the game, given how well they started and how poorly we were, with and without the ball.
“We got the break of being back in it just before half-time and we looked a proper team in the second half, just how we have been over the last few weeks.”
North End can perhaps think they are the victims of their own success of late, with teams now coming and playing deep and asking PNE to break them down, but the gaffer says they must learn to deal with that.
“Oppositions are doing everything they can to go and win a game,” he continued. “We don’t expect them to give us a free hit and say ‘there’s three points for you’.
“Nigel changed his team today, whether that is for his own benefit or to combat us I don’t know, but we have to make sure we try and do the right thing, because no matter who we are playing or what system we are playing against, we have to make sure we stop the opposition, we play with the tempo with the ball, we pass it quicker that we did today and if we do that, then ultimately you have a chance of winning it.
“In the second half we did all those things, without having that little bit of quality to break them down, or having the lucky breaks of the ball bouncing around to win it.”
You can watch more from the manager, plus see an interview with Jordan Hugill by clicking here and logging into PNE PlayerHD now.